Nightsilver Tales
by achus93
Summary: Follow the day to day lives of the people inside the Dark Moon Coffee Shop, where they face trials, roadblocks and annoying people who get on their nerves. A Slice-of-Life, Modern-AU Dota 2 fic, featuring Luna, Mirana, Mortred, Shendel, Lanaya, and many more to come. Lingering trauma for 95!
1. The Part-timer

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

first of all, i'd like to welcome potential readers. yes, this is a slice-of-life, modern-AU fic featuring who i'd like to call the 'former night elves.' and no, it won't be only female heroes. (hopefully)

this fic is also posted on a certain Steam group about creating/tweaking your own heroes. i know it doesn't make sense, but i write a lot of fics there (usually about the heroes we created), so i figured "why not there?"

(the group in question is this: /groups/HeroCreationGroup

me having an account here was a coincidence, so i decided to post it here to, if you guys don't mind :D

of yeah, almost forgot.

**DISCLAIMER**

All heroes and names featured on this fic belong t Valve and/or Icefrog. the only thing i'm taking credit for is the story itself.

* * *

**The Part-timer**

The afternoon sun shone brightly through the city, rush hour had started to dissipate, the people finishing up their lunch and on their way back to their jobs. A quiet coffee shop at the corner of the street was also subject to the rush hour, the name "Dark Moon Coffee Shop" sprawled above its entrance. Its workers have idled along, its busiest time having passed.

The barista in particular had started catching up on the morning newspaper, reading on local events that might have been relevant in regards to her obsolete past. Wearing a tight dark blue t-shirt and black jeans, with hair tied up in a ponytail, dyed in a mix of blue and silver, she attracts the gaze of men, and some women, despite herself not even giving any of them a second glance. She would brush off any advances people gave her, sometimes with a threat or two. When she felt hands cup her bountiful bosom from behind, she flinched and turned to face the offender.

A slightly younger woman who also happened to be the coffee shop's manager was the perpetrator. Going for a more 'professional' look, she had opted to wear a white blouse, with a hint of cleavage, complimented with sky-blue skirt that went till her knees. The gold earrings complimented her regal look perfectly. Her attire signified her seniority, despite the barista being older than her. But in this close, personal proximity, she did not display her usual regal air, deciding to mess with the barista. Judging by the smirk she had, and the barista's flaring anger, she had deemed it successful.

"What the hell're you doing?" the barista almost yelled, not wanting to make a spectacle for the patrons.

"Nothing. Figured you could ease some of that tension up." She said, not at all fazed by the barista's anger.

Their eyes gaze upon each other, the barista's closing hers to calm herself. Not a moment too soon and she turned her back, facing the counter and reading the newspaper once again.

"I told you many times to not get close to me, Mirana." The barista warned her manager.

"Yes, I know. For the past couple of years. But I still think you need to ease up, Luna. I thought you'd be getting used to the fact that this is not like your old days." The manager said. Luna's hands closed into fists, crumpling the paper she was reading.

"Don't. Remind me. Of my past. For you own sake, _princess_." She said, almost threateningly through gritted teeth.

Mirana's eyes widened briefly, at the sudden anger, before cursing herself for bringing something like Luna's past up.

"Sorry, my bad." Mirana moved to inspect the counter, her eyes falling on the diminishing bagels. She realized they were running out on other pastries as well, and made her way towards the kitchen.

"Mortred. You in here?" she called out, hoping the baker could hear her.

The baker in question popped up from beneath a counter, her face dirtied with flour and smudges of flavoring. Wearing a normal shirt and jeans but with muted colors of grey and aquamarine, the only thing spectacular of her attire is the oversized chef's hat, an oddly plated apron and the bread knife she was still holding.

"_Oui_?" she asks with a soft smile and a light accent.

"We're running out of pastries." Mirana states.

"Oh. Bagels are over there." Mortred points to a fresh batch of bagels. "And I'm working on croissants now."

"Just those?"

"I am only one woman." Mortred crouches back down, staring into the oven. "Now hush so I can get back to work."

Mirana giggled at how serious the baker was when it came to pastries, and picked up a tray for the fresh bagels. When she left the kitchen, the only available waitress was relaying the orders to the barista. Her platinum blonde hair flowed up, as if held by magic. A blue one-piece accented with purple hugged her figure, with a waitresses apron adding to its flair. Her red eyes held lots of stories back. Stories nobody else knows.

"Hey, Shendel. Happy?" Mirana asked as she replaced the bagels in its designated spot.

"Sure." Came a muted reply.

Everyone knows something happened to her that made her come to the coffee shop with the help of her land lady, but out of respect nobody pried her open, a gratitude she respects although not always shown. The only person who knows just happened to be the owner of the establishment.

"Here you go, Shendel." Luna said, handing a trayful of different kinds of caffeine and tea.

Indigo eyes met red when the tray was exchanged. Although Luna did not pry one's past (for she did not like the same to be done to her.), she saw clear discomfort constantly emanating from the waitress, always willing to lend an ear, or shoulder, but none were reciprocated.

Luna stared on Shendel's moving form as she went about delivering the orders. Mirana herself had settled the round pastries on their place. Both eyes meet each other, a playful tint from the manager's while anger slowly rose from the barista.

"We **really** don't have to be like this, Luna."

"Easy for you to say." Luna replied. She knows her 'hatred' for the manager is something pointless, but it's not something she can easily let go, based on the years of her childhood and adolescences.

Luna sat on the stool she prepared herself on her side of the counter and took out her phone, deciding on browsing the web through it. Mirana put her fisted hands on her hips, still addressing the barista.

"Well, I'm going to talk to Selemene. If there's anything, just call out, kay?" Luna answered with a nod, prompting the manager to leave for the owner's room.

Luna sat where she was, full attention on her phone, feeling calm for the coffee shop usually doesn't attract the rowdiest of crowds, if ever. Because of this, she did not realize when the door opened and young woman carrying a stack of books walked in and approached her counter.

"Ahem. Excuse me." Luna looked up, her attention now drawn to the intruder.

She had plopped the stack of books on the counter, college text books Luna observed. She wore a dark purple sweater that almost acted as a one-piece. She wore a face mask the same color as her sweater, with a long pink scarf wrapped around her neck that went as long as her purple dyed hair.

"Yeah? What can I get you?" Luna asked, putting her phone away.

"Oh, no. No, no no. I'm here for the part-time job. I called yesterday." She corrected, holding her hand together on top of her books. Luna let an amused chuckle, envying this girl's youth.

"Alright, hold on." Luna assured as she stood up. "Mirana!"

The manager rushed out, fearing an emergency that she was needed for.

"What, what happened?" she asked Luna. Luna shrugged, an amused smile on her from seeing Mirana panicking.

"Nothing major. The part-timer's here." She said, motioning to the young woman. Mirana's eyes perked up.

"Oh, right! Lanaya, isn't it?" she asked, moving to stand beside the young woman.

They shook hands.

"Yes. I called yesterday." Lanaya said.

"Yeah, I remember. Come, Selemene would like to speak with you!" she said eagerly, dragging the possible new employee with her.

Luna went back to her stool, mindlessly picking up the top text book and started reading. Philosophy; not her type of reading material, not even close, but good for her to contemplate on where she wants to go in her life.

Not long after, Mirana and Lanaya enter the room, with the former being all smiles. More than before.

"Welcome to the Dark Moon Coffee Shop, Lanaya!" she says excitedly. "Why don't you stay here with Luna while I get you your apron." She said, disappearing into the break room.

Lanaya moved her gaze to Luna, who was still reading her Philosophy book. She felt awkward, not sure on how to proceed, seeming as she did not know how to proceed with this intimidating woman.

"Sit down, Sheila." Luna said. Lanaya scrunched her eye brows, confused at the name.

"_Sheila_? she asked.

"Promiscuous." Luna said, not looking up from the book.

"B-but, I'm not-"

"I know."

"Uh… my name's Lanaya." She said, prompting Luna to look up from the book.

"Don't like nicknames?" Luna asked.

"No." Lanaya answered, shaking her head.

"Fine." Luna responded, closing the book and settling it on top of the pile. She stood up, towering the young woman, who felt even more intimidated.

"Shendel!" Luna called out. Lanaya turned, curious to who Luna was calling. "Can you wave?"

Shendel stopped what she was doing and did a small wave aimed at the two women by the counter, and went straight back to work. Lanaya turned back to face Luna.

"Her name's Shendel, as you heard." She straightened her shirt. "Dresses a little daringly, not as much as our 'esteemed' manager, but she's very reserved. Keeps a lot to herself. Something we don't dare to pry. She's so far our only waitress, as our waiter bailed on us, wanting to 'seek revenge against the dead god!'" Luna said while motioning air quotes.

"'Dead God?'" Lanaya asked, confused.

"Yeah, I know! Crazy, right?" Luna added. She then motioned Lanaya to follow her to the kitchen, Standing at the doorway.

"Hey Mortred." She called out. The woman in question had just finished a batch of croissants, settling them on the counter to cool off. She turned to face the two women on the doorway and smiled.

"Oh, hello!" she greeted, moving towards the two and grabbing the young woman's hand, shaking it. "My name's Mortred. I handle all the pastries here." She said with a smile.

"The pastries?"

"_Oui, le pain._ You are welcome to try it!" she said, grabbing one of the croissants and handing it to Lanaya.

Lanaya lowered her mask and took a careful bite out of it, not wanting to spill crumbs on the floor, despite it already being a mess from all the work Mortred had done. Mortred looked eagerly with eyes wide open, waiting for the part-timer's verdict.

"It's, _ahem_. It's good." She said, with a genuine smile.

Mortred squealed, bring the young woman into a hug. Luna shook her head at the antics with a small smile.

"You very well know people love your breads." She stated. Mortred let Lanaya go.

"It's still _merveilleux_, Luna, to hear it." She said. She turned to face Lanaya, who had put her mask back in place. "Well, good luck!" she said before heading back to her station.

Luna brought Lanaya to her counter, where Mirana was waiting with Lanaya's apron. Her already wide smile widened when she saw the two women.

"I see Luna's introduced you to our staff." Lanaya had a brief look of bewilderment.

"Are these the only people here?" she asked. Mirana shrugged while handing Lanaya the apron.

"Yes. I usually help out in waiting the customers." She crossed her arms and brought one hand to her chin. "We had a man here, not too long ago. But he went out."

"To fight the 'dead gods'?" Lanaya asked, her apron fitting on her. Mirana raised an eyebrow.

"Luna said that?" Lanaya nodded. "No. he became some sort of radical activist." Lanaya looked disappointed.

"That's it?"

"Yeah, well, Magina's always been a boring, sometimes lackluster person."

"That's why I tell people my version." Luna added.

"Well, I'm sure you'll get the hang of things here." Mirana had one hand on her hip while the other was on her chest. "If you have any questions, feel free to ask me, Luna or Shendel, 'kay?" Lanaya nodded. "Good! Have fun on your first day!" she said, taking the text books and heading towards the break room.

"Well," Luna put her hand on Lanaya's shoulder. "Go wait on the customers, and don't freeze up." She said, lightly pushing her to the tables.

Lanaya breathed slowly, before heading to the first table she saw with someone calling for a waitress.

And she was nervous as hell.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

thanks for reading till the end of the first chapter. after a few chapters or so, i'll be setting this to 'Complete', since i don't see a definite ending to it.

and there's like one Irish slang, and a few French words that i used up there, so i'd like to apologize before hand if they're used wrong.

there's bound to be more heroes featured here (obviously), but any sort of 'requests' will be looked at, but i'll prioritize the ones from the group. if the 'requests' don't match with my style, then i won't use it.

oh, another thing. you won't be seeing much author's notes from me, but if there are, they'd mostly be footnotes. if there is a headnote, then you can be sure that there will be a footnote.

responses and criticisms welcomed! :D

once again, thanks for reading!


	2. Her First Day

**The First Day**

Lanaya sat in the break room, her head lying on the table. Her first day was tiring. Not physically, of course, since there was hardly a crowd to form up, aside from that one group of people who 'hung out' for an hour or two. She was mentally drained.

Caramel Macchiato. Iced Skinny Mocha. Pumpkin Spice Latte. Café Avocado. And that was just the tip of the iceberg.

They were all confusing to her, having never really frequented these types of establishments. When she signed up, she more or less expected people to order the more 'normal' drinks, like coffee.

_Unless times have changed, and this is new coffee._ she thought to herself.

She remembered only two people ordering 'coffee'.

"White Coffee, extra cream." A short, greasy looking man ordered. Lanaya thought that he might be a mechanic, from the tools he had set on the table.

"Kopi Luwak, dear." the other man she recognized; Boush, one of the professors from the university she attended. Judging by his friendly attitude, she guessed that he might have also seen her around the campus.

"You're still drinking that shit coffee?" the first man said disgustedly.

"It is much better than the milk-infested drink you ordered." The professor countered.

"At least it came out the rig-…" Lanaya didn't hear the rest of the conversation, already on her way to Luna.

_Uh, the only people to order coffee was the professor and his friend…_ she thought dejectedly.

She was also hoping for people to at least order tea; something she was more familiar with; but so far, nobody had done so. The only tea that was made was when she herself asked Luna for a cup of green tea. Luna was amused about something, silently laughing when making the tea for the new part-timer. Not too long after, two cups of green tea was prepared right in front of her. Lanaya looked at Luna with a confused expression until Luna took one of the cups for herself.

"I'd also like a drink." She said, taking the cup and went on reading something on her phone.

That green tea calmed her thoughts, allowing her to go through the rest of the day with renewed vigor. Sadly, all of that mirth was sapped out of her.

_Who knew coffee shops were so taxing?_ she said, turning her head around, looking for the clock. _8:36pm. Hm…_

She was shaken out of her thoughts when the door was opened with force, sitting up straight to see that it was Mortred, carrying a tray of some of the pastries she made.

"Oh, sorry Lanaya. My hands were full, and I didn't know someone was in here." She apologized.

"It's alright." Lanaya assured the baker.

Mortred set the tray on the table before sitting across Lanaya. She gestured the tray to Lanaya.

"Want some?" she asked, a light smile on her face.

Lanaya stared Mortred in her eyes, looking for silent confirmation, and with a nod given, she took a piece, sliding her mask down and started slowly eating it. Mortred took out a paper bag from her apron and settled inside one by one. Soon they were joined by Shendel, who wordlessly took a bagel for herself, moving straight to her own locker.

"When does this place usually close for the night?" Lanaya asked between bites.

"Around now, actually." Mortred answered. "We begin tidying up the place, and make people leave at 9."

"There's no custodian, or anything here?"

"No. None have answered the call."

"We could use one." Shendel said, closing the locker and joining the two on the table.

"Do you know anyone?" Mortred asked, the paper bag now full with the pastries she made.

"No." Shendel said, taking a bite of the bagel.

"Figures." Mortred yawned, arching her back.

"How's your first day?" Shendel asked. Lanaya felt awkward, not knowing how to approach the person talking to her.

They had kept their distance earlier that day, preferring solitude for Shendel and Lanaya still uncomfortable by the vibe the woman gave. She swallowed before answering the question.

"It was confusing…" Mortred lifted an eyebrow.

"How so?" Shendel continued on, taking another bite out of her bagel.

"The drinks were confusing." Mortred giggled, finding the answer to be hilarious.

"That's why I'm not a waitress." She said, earning a glare from Shendel.

"No, you're not a waitress because nobody else can bake." She corrected.

"_Oui_, that's also true." She agreed, looking smug.

The door opened again, this time Mirana entering the room, bringing the regal aura she had with her at all times. She gave one quick look at the three women before ordering them to help clean the place. An order they followed suit.

Lanaya asked her why it was her ordering them, thinking that Selemene would've been the one to do so. "Selemene left early, giving me the keys to lock up." Mirana answered.

Mortred went back to the kitchen, no doubt cleaning her own mess, leaving the rest of the coffee shop to be dealt with by Mirana and the waitresses. Lanaya saw that the coffee machine and the counter around it had already been tidied up. _Luna sure is quick._ she thought to herself, lifting up the chairs on the tables with Shendel as Mirana swept the floor.

It wasn't long till they were ready to lock up. In the break room, Lanaya saw that it had reached 9:13 pm, a look of worry now on her face.

"What's wrong?" Luna asked, putting on a blue jacket.

"I don't know if there are any busses to my place at this time." She said.

"Where do you live, anyway?" Mirana asked. Luna turned to her superior.

"I thought you'd know."

"Selemene was the one that asked her things. I was just waiting outside." Mirana countered, earning a shrug from the barista.

"Maybe one of us can take you back." Shendel suggested.

"You don't even have a car." Mortred said.

"Just putting it out there." Shendel said, before leaving the room, followed by Mortred.

It left Lanaya with the two older women, waiting for her answer.

"Well?" Mirana now had her hands on her hips, still waiting.

"The Radiant Dorms." Lanaya finally answered.

"Oh, Luna lives nearby!" Lanaya turned to face the intimidating woman.

"Really?" she asked.

"Across the road." She answered, before taking a helmet out of her locker. "Come, it's getting late."

Shendel and Mortred were still outside the coffee shop as the other three exited the building. Saying their farewells for the night, they departed towards their respective sanctuaries. Shendel and Mortred left by foot, going separate ways. Mirana had a white sedan drawing up the covers before waiving the two women goodbye. Lanaya was nervous, seeing that Luna had a purple super bike. As Luna got on, she handed the helmet to Lanaya.

"Why?" Lanaya asked.

"You looked nervous, guessing it's your first time. Now get on, I have a cat to take care of." Luna said, looking slightly impatient.

After putting on the helmet, Lanaya held her books tight and got on the bike. A brief shriek was heard when Luna accelerated without warning.

The trip to the Radiant Dorms didn't take as long as it usually does, thanks to the now emptying road and the fact that they were using a motorcycle. Clutching the books with one hand and Luna's waist with the other, Lanaya silently prayed; paralyzed by the speed that the woman was going at. She heard Luna say something, but whatever they were was drowned out by the wind gong past her ears.

She did not even realize that they had arrived because she was so caught up in her own thoughts, trying to distracting herself. It wasn't until Luna pressed the horn, shocking Lanaya and making her fall of the bike, the helmet she wore saved her head from a concussion, although she was still dazed. She felt Luna help her up and taking off the helmet. Her vision was still blurry for a moment, till she can clearly see Luna's tall figure.

"It wasn't **that** bad..." Luna said, putting the helmet on her bike.

"Easy for you to say…" Lanaya was still shaking, not used to going at that speed. She shook herself before picking up her books.

"When do you start your shift tomorrow?"

"Around midday. I have an early morning class." Lanaya answered, brushing off the dirt on her. She gave Luna one last look, indigo eyes meeting pink. "Thanks for the ride Luna." She said, taking off her mask to show her smile as gratitude.

"No problem." Luna nodded, before making her way to the building across, pushing her bike.

Lanaya herself made her way inside the dorm, the ground floor already empty. The first floor however was still filled with her dorm mates, chattering along. One of them, someone she shared a philosophy class with, spotted Lanaya as she made her way through the stairs and ran to accompany her.

"Hey, Lanaya, how's your first day?" she asked.

"It was hectic. So many weird drinks, Rylai." She answered with a tired sigh.

"Hehe, you should've come along when I invited you." Her friend said, sticking out her tongue.

This friend of hers was a short blonde who had her hair tied in pigtails, the norm for her when she's dressed for slumber. She wore pajama pants with odd cloud patterns, although she'd argue that they were snowballs. An oversized shirt with a picture of a walrus added to her youthful appeal. She put an arm around Lanaya, bringing them both closer.

"Hey, maybe I can drop by." She said teasingly.

"Oh, please, don't embarrass me." Lanaya said, going along with her friend.

They reached Lanaya's room on the third floor, with Rylai holding the books as Lanaya fumbled for the keys. When it opened, they made their way inside, Rylai putting the books on Lanaya's bed.

"Coming down?" Rylai asked, inviting her friend, but Lanaya just shook her head.

"Still tired. And you know I have to wake up early tomorrow." She declined.

"Oh well, see you at the campus!" Rylai said, leaving the room, closing the door on the way.

Lanaya sat on her bed, and scanned her room for any anomalies. Her bookshelf near the door stood undisturbed, the only things missing were the books she brought with her. A counter was next to it, with only a container containing some instant food and beverages on top of it. The barren mini fridge she had was underneath the counter. Her table had her computer off. Seeing nothing off about her surroundings, she picked up the books next to her and put them next to her computer, before pulling out a drawer underneath her bed filled with her clothes, grabbing change as she left the room to take a quick shower.

Coming back, she hung her towel on her door and set aside her laundry in a hamper before plopping herself on her bed, quickly drifting off to a needed rest.


	3. Early Morning Routine

**Early Morning Routine**

A darkened bedroom was illuminated by the slightly opened drapes, the sleeping form of a topless woman still unperturbed. The only movement coming from a small purple ball of fur, snuggling against her chest. Not being able to find a comfortable position, it made its way towards the woman's hand and began nibbling her fingers. The woman began stirring.

"Hmm… Nova, stop it." Luna said unconsciously.

But Nova persisted, still nibbling Luna's fingers, giving her a combination of a wet and prickly sensation. Nova's persistence soon paid off, as Luna slowly opened her eyes, observing her bedroom, before rising up and taking Nova off her fingers, putting her cat on her lap.

"Bad girl." She said with a soft smile on her face. Nova purred in response.

Luna put on a shirt she had lying around nearby, and with her small kitten in her arms, made her way out off her bedroom. Walking down the hall, she went straight to her kitchen, plopping Nova on the counter and began preparing Nova's meals for the day. The small purple kitten was content in watching her owner, meowing every once in a while. Luna then turned around with two food bowls, putting one of them on the counter.

"Here's your breakfast." She said, going off to put the other bowl somewhere else.

While Nova was eating her meal, Luna went on preparing for the day. Preparing her own instant cup of noodles, she filled the time with an early shower. Not long after she was watching the morning news with a towel on her neck, eating her breakfast with Nova on her lap. She got dressed as soon as her breakfast was finished. Opting for an attire not too different from yesterday (a moon silhouette on her dark blue shirt and knee-boots.) she was ready to start the day. With her phone and wallet in her pocket, she picked up her helmet and stopped at the door, turning around and crouching in front of her kitten.

"No, stay here. I have to go to work again. Be a good girl, okay?" Nova meowed, giving her answer to Luna. "Good girl. I'll be back tonight."

Now, already on her bike, she made her way through the early morning streets, going on a leisurely pace. The coffee shop wouldn't be open till 10 o'clock in the morning, so her morning routine was as follows: going through the old city blocks where she had a prominent history with the gangs that were still around. It's been years since she stopped, yet most of these people still feared her, still intimidated by her. She doesn't know why she goes through this path; it only brings back bad memories for her.

Her next stop was Heroes Lane, a green park with markets and street shops, with an odd looking great tree at the centre. Even though she stood tall, the great tree was enormous. It was shaped oddly too; three trunks converge at a point, a thick branch protruding from one side. With the way some of the leaves are clumped up together, it looked like the tree had a face. It looked like it was striking a pose, with more trees growing around it, trapping some statues in it. The people had named it The Protector. It somehow even made her safe just looking at it.

"Hey, Luna…" a husky voice called out from behind her.

Luna turned around to see Shendel also standing there, looking at the Protector. She had let her hair down, although that did not lessen the powerful gaze from her red eyes. She's also wearing an oversized purple hoodie, shielding her pale skin from the early morning sun.

"Hey Shendel. Didn't know you come here."

"I don't, actually. I was just walking around…" She turned her body to face Luna. "What about you?"

"When I have free time."

Luna approached the younger woman, putting an arm around her. Shendel flinched at the contact and tried to free herself but Luna's grip was strong, not giving Shendel room to move. She relented not too long after.

"What are your plans for the day?" Luna asked.

"I don't know, just walking around." She answered, her eyes closed in thought.

"Coming in today?"

"Of course."

The stood there in silence, Luna's arm still around Shendel's shoulder.

"Alright, I'm heading out again." Luna announced, letting her grip go and putting on her helmet.

Luna left the quiet woman alone, taking off in her bike to continue her day. The roads were starting to clump up with morning traffic, prompting her to stop at the side of the road. She pulled out her phone to look at the time. 8:13 am.

_Damn, still too early._ she thought to herself.

Finding that her morning routine was disrupted by the traffic, she decided on heading to the coffee shop for a head start on her day. She's hardly ever the first to arrive: Either Mirana or Mortred would already be there; one of them to would do her managerial duties alone and taking inventory of their supplies while the other would prepare as much pastries as she could. Luna herself would do a quick run on supplies, after which she'd just read anything she could get her hands on.

Since the coffee shop was going against traffic, she reached her destination in less than 10 minutes, arriving to the sight of something she was not expecting. 4 similar looking short men had set up shop at the corners of the coffee shop, with one of them, apparently, overseeing the other's works. She parked her bike at the back and made her way inside, to be greeted with a stressed out Mirana, messaging her temples.

"What's up princess?" she asked, heading her way to the break room.

"It's those rats outside." She pointed to the door. "They've been making a fuss since the early morning."

Mirana followed Luna inside, seeing the older woman put her jacket and helmet in her locker.

"And? Why are you looking at me like that?" Luna asked suspiciously, seeing Mirana's pleading eyes.

"Please, can you get them to go away?"

"Why me? You know Mortred can get nasty if she wants too."

"Yes, but she's not going to leave the kitchen any time soon."

Luna had made her way to her station, but did not get to her duties with Mirana still following her. She let out an exasperated sigh, and turned to face her manager.

"Fine." She said, making her way outside, but not before grabbing Mirana's hand. "You're coming with me."

"What? Why?" Mirana struggled to free herself, but she could not escape from the older woman's grasp.

Now outside, their eyes scanned the surroundings in search of the rat in charge. Turns out they didn't need too, for the rat was the one to approach them.

"Hey ladies, welcome to 'Meepo and Co. Goods and Sundries." He greeted them.

The both of them eyed him carefully. _He really does look like a rat._ Luna thought. He had bulgy eyes and oddly sharp ears, his teeth biting on a straw. His brown hair was dirtied with what looked like chalk. He had his hoodie down, sporting a loose white t-shirt and blue shorts. His brown backpack looked overfilled with tons of items he might have scavenged. _maybe he doesn't, but he sure looks the type._ The only difference between him and the other 'rats' were the one tool they were holding. The one they were talking too was carrying a shovel, while the others were carrying a pickaxe, a rake, a fishing rod and a net.

"I think I have just the things you ladies were looking for. 'Ey, Meepo, cum'ere!" the first one ordered.

The one he called had brought an odd looking cream, or lotion, and held it high while the first one began explaining.

"This right 'ere will make those babies grow, just rub 'em before you go to sleep, and in a few weeks, you'll see improvement!"

Both Luna and Mirana were starting to get annoyed.

"I don't need any of this." Luna said, crossing her arms on her chest. The first 'rat' tilted his head, and slowly nodded.

"Yeah, you're right." He pointed to Mirana. "But your friend here could'a used some." Mirana's face got redder, angered by the insinuation. "What about it, toots. Interested?"

Although Luna herself was amused at seeing Mirana's flushed face, she was still getting annoyed by this opportunistic rat still trying to get a sale. So with one arm, she picked up the leader by the collar.

"Listen, you little rat, I-"

"Name's Meepo, babe."

"I thought he's Meepo." Luna gestured to the one still holding the cream, cowering from her figure.

"He's Meepo number three." Luna was starting to get confused.

"What?"

"We're all Meepo, toots. I'm number one."

"Whatever." She shook the first Meepo by his collar. "Listen, I think it's for the best of our interest if you, and your other Meepos, to make yourself scarce."

"Come on, we hafta make a living somehow."

"Then do it somewhere else, befo-" an explosion interrupted their argument.

They saw that one of the Meepos, the one in charge of some 'chemicals', had his station blow up in his face, sending him inside the coffee shop, breaking the window on his way. Mirana covered her ace with her hands, stifling the stress and rising anger, while Luna's grip tightened. Meepo number one felt it, and started to get nervous, feeling his own sweat trickle down his face.

"Do you have any windows?" Luna asked through gritted teeth. Meepo swallowed.

"Um… Uh… No?"

Luna closed her eyes, trying to calm herself down, before putting the first Meepo down. He felt reliefe wash over him, but he was unprepared when Luna swung her foot, striking the other Meepo and sending him to the remains of the blown up station. As the other Meepos called out for their kicked Meepo, Meepo number one was too shocked to notice that he was picked up again, this time by his neck.

"Listen you little rat, we don't have the time for this mess, so why-"

"Wait wait wait." He pleaded, bring his hands up. "Look, we don't have a window. But we can pay you for it."

"Two thousand."

"What?! Come on! I know they're expensive, but that's killing it! We don't have that much!" He pleaded once again. But Luna would not budge.

"Either that, or I call the Guards."

"Aw, come on. You wouldn't do that!"

"I know some people in the Guard."

"Alright, alright!" Meepo finally conceded, Luna putting him back on the ground.

He called the other Meepos, including the two that were wounded, to meet with him. After a minute of them scrounging up their respective wallets, they made up with what they had. Meepo number one gave Luna the money.

"1,832. That's all we got toots." He said, dejectedly.

Luna took the money and gave it to Mirana.

"Good. Now leave."

The Meepos quickly took their equipment, mostly the salvageable ones, and left the area before Mirana could finish counting the money they paid them with. Mirana then turned to face Luna.

"There's only 1,744 here." She said.

"Whatever. They're gone now."

They both surveyed the broken glass pane. Wondering what to do with it, Mortred came into their view, gracing them with her presence.

"What happened?" she asked. Luna just shook her head.

"Don't ask." Mirana answered. "Hey, come help us clean this mess."

It wasn't long till every shard of broken glass was thrown away, with the hole in the wall being temporarily patched up with a curtain. Mortred went back to the kitchen while Mirana waited in Selemene's office, needing to talk to her about important matters.

As time went on, and the coffee shop was about to open, Shendel had appeared, not even glancing at the curtain cover. Mirana had told them that, after what happened this morning, Selemene's going to send out notices for a job as a custodian in the coffee shop. With all the matters either done or put on hold, they flipped the sign to 'Open'.

As per usual, the Dark Moon Coffee Shop is mostly quiet; the only time it was filled was during lunch. As Luna waited at her station, their first customer came in, tanned all over and wearing a red bandana and brown goggles, he had a blue scarf that hung on his back. His reddish brown vest over a brown t-shirt. _A biker, huh?_ Luna thought as he took a seat at the stool in front of her.

"What can I get you?"

"Black." He said, taking out a flask of what smelled like alcohol.

She prepared his drink in not time, seeing him mix it with whatever was in that flask. She noticed that he was very intently staring at her chest. Still feeling residual anger from the morning, she decided to give him a piece of her mind, putting her elbow on his free hand, with her chin resting on her hand. He choked on his drink from the pain.

"Listen buddy, I think it's best that you look away." She said, but the rider laughed rather than be intimidated.

"Damn girl, you got some fire in ya!" He pulled his hand out of its trap. "Well, better make my way out now. Don't want to die to a beauty like yourself." He said with a wink, before finishing up his drink.

"Charming." Luna responded.

Seeing the biker leave, she saw a glimpse of his chopper. Instead of black like the stereotypical color, his was painted brown, a picture of a Molotov burning on its side.

Luna let out a breath, already tired because of the hectic morning she was subjected too.

_Let's hope it'll ease out._


	4. Stress is the Manager's Problem

**Stress is the Manager's Problem**

Mirana sat in front of her laptop in the break room, her head resting on a propped hand as she tapped the keyboard mindlessly, thinking of how to approach the task that had been given to her by Selemene. Because of the morning's disturbance, Selemene had agreed to send word out again that the coffee shop was in need of a general custodian.

"A janitor is nice too, can't be too picky." She told Mirana.

Now, here she was, thinking of what to write. Selemene had graced her with the responsibility of writing the open word to be sent to the newspaper. Normally she wouldn't have trouble, but the early stress she had had stunted her thought process. _and anytime the day starts bad, it'll be bad through the whole day._ she thought, with a grimace.

She was glad that the biker had brushed off Luna's anger in stride. _if he comes back, he'll get a drink on me._ The difference between the two is that while Mirana ends up finding stressful situations one way or another, Luna just can't stop finding trouble.

Just thinking of what Luna would do was making her head hurt. As she started to massage her head, she did not hear the door open, Lanaya entering for her shift. As she set her books in her locker, Lanaya was surprised when she saw the manager in this state, a complete opposite of what she had seen yesterday.

"Mirana? What's wrong?" she asked, earning the tired gaze of the manager.

With a weak smile, she told Lanaya, "Just stressed out, nothing big."

Lanaya approached Mirana, standing behind where she was sitting, "What are you working on?"

"Going to spread the word out. Needed to make a paragraph or two for the newspaper."

"You want me to do it?" Lanaya offered. Mirana shook her heard.

"No, it's alright. It's my job." She assured the student, yet Lanaya was not taking it.

"You look tired, unlike yesterday." She took the seat beside Mirana and took the laptop from her, starting a fresh entry. "Don't worry. I don't mind."

Mirana was torn; she didn't want to let Lanaya do any of her work, but the stress was hindering her progress.

"Maybe Luna can fix you up a drink, right? That helped me yesterday. Then you can continue on." Lanaya suggested. A smile appeared on Mirana's face.

"Ah, you're right." Mirana stood out of her chair, and left the break room, thanking Lanaya on the way.

Going through the corridor, she soon reached a bored looking Luna reading one of Lanaya's books. She also saw a warm cup of latte, prepared on top of a star-patterned coaster. She smiled at the thought that Luna had already prepared this for her. It was moments like these that remind her that Luna isn't the same person that Selemene picked up years ago.

She took the cup and noticed that the milk also formed a star.

"Don't think too much of it princess." Luna said before Mirana could thank her.

Seeing that Luna was still not in the best of moods, she decided on focusing just on the drink she yearned for, taking slow sips, enjoying every second before she swallowed it. While she was drinking, the door opened, a figure in a red hoodie covering his eyes entered, his roughed canines displayed with vigor. Mirana almost choked on her drink when she saw the figure approaching the counter.

"A bloody mary, please." He asked.

"Sorry, we don't serve alcohol here." Luna said, her eyes not leaving the book.

"Oh…" the man sounded dejected, before smiling again. "Okay, I'll have scone."

Luna closed the book and went to prepare a plate for the scone as Mirana stood silently, just in case things might happen? Luna came back with the plate and scone, giving it to the red hooded man. As she sat back down, the man cleared his throat, earning Luna's attention before she went reading again.

"I guess the word around the streets were true." He said, making Luna raise her eyebrow.

"Do I know you?" she asked.

"No, I was a nobody back then. But I _do_ know you." He said cryptically, taking a bite out of his scone. Mirana gulped, seeing Luna tense up.

"Who are you?" she asked, getting up from her chair. The man was startled, seeing her tower over him. He calmed himself down and addressed the enraging woman in front of him.

"I am Strygwyr." He said.

"He's a Bloodseeker, Luna." Mirana said. Luna turned to face her, a surprised expression on her face.

"The Flayed Ones are still around?" she asked, turning back to the short man.

"Yes. I myself am the highest ranking Bloodseeker." He said with pride. Luna just scowled, looking at the man with contempt.

"Why are you here?" She asked. Strygwyr answered with a shrug.

"I wanted a drink, but you don't have what I want. So now, I'm eating a scone." He said, taking a bite as if to show his point. "You know, Luna." He said her name for the first time. "Back then, you had a reputation for bloodlust. It's why the Flayed Ones didn't see consider you a threat."

Luna had balled her fists, but to Mirana's surprise, had not reacted violently. She did not like being reminded of her past, and the very presence of a Bloodseeker was pushing her on the edge. _maybe because he's not being hostile._ Mirana thought, seeing Luna try to calm herself down, before finally sitting back down and reading the book again. She was still struggling, her hands almost destroying the pages of the book, but Mirana was thankful that Luna was taking it all in relative stride.

Her relief was cut short when another figure entered the coffee shop. Wearing a dark blue jacket and red pants, a necklace with red wings of a bat, he looked as problematic as the Bloodseeker. A horrifying scar was in the middle of his face, as if splitting in half. He looked calm until his gaze fell on Strygwyr's back, who was till eating a scone.

"Strygwyr!" he yelled, drawing the attention of the other patrons. Strygwyr scowled at the voice calling him, turning around to face the offender.

"Balanar." He said through gritted teeth.

"Fancy meeting a _Bloodseeker_ here. Way too fancy for the likes of you." The new man said, pulling out brass knuckles from his pockets.

"Says a _Nightstalker_. Guess the night's too expensive for you, dragging your sorry ass out this early." Strygwyr replied, brandishing his own knives.

"You'll be sorry."

"Says the dead man walking." In a moment they were about to charge, striking each other in the middle of the coffee shop, but the bark of the seething rage of a woman stopped them.

"**ENOUGH**!" Luna yelled, stopping them in their tracks. Mirana was startled by the sudden burszt, but not surprised, unlike the patrons, who suddenly felt more fear from her than the impending clash between the two gang members.

As Luna approached them, Strygwyr had put away his knives, realizing the mistake that he had made. Balanar, on the other hand, looked perplexed. He did not know that Luna was here, and therefore was not prepared. Although he was taller, and he tried to pull himself to his fullest height, in hopes that she would be intimidated.

"Luna. I did not expect to see the _Scourge of the Plains_ to be here." Balanar said, earning the deathly glare of the woman.

Mirana heard gasps and whispers, as well as stunned looks as the patrons realized who Luna actually was. She could see that they couldn't believe the things they were hearing.

Luna did not listen to them, instead focusing on the two gang members disrupting the coffee shop. She grabbed Balanar's hoodie by the collar, dragging him down to her height.

"_Balanar._ Surprised you're still around." She said, purple eyes meeting green. To his credit, he did not flinch, but he remembered her before he led the Nightstalkers. A time long ago when he was a lowly welp.

Because of this close proximity, he did not see Luna's swinging arm, her fist striking his face, sending him towards the door. She turned to face Strygwyr, who had silently accepted whatever she would do to him. But any strike her prepared himself for did not come, instead Luna still towered over him, her arms crossed.

"No fighting allowed in the premises." She said, the tranquil fury too unsettling for the people around her.

He heard the unsaid command, nodding before taking his scone and leaving the building. Luna herself then dragged Balanar, who was still writhing in pain as his scar was now slightly opened.

"If I see any of you mongrels here again…"

"Yeah, I got it." Balanar said, cutting her off while holding the bruise, making sure the scar didn't rip any further.

Mirana could only watch it all happen, glad that it did not end up _as bad_ as she thought.

"What happened here?" Mirana startled, turning to face the sudden voice that appeared next to her.

"Where were you?" Mirana asked Shendel, who had just entered the room.

"I was out back, clearing the trash." She answered. Mirana just sighed.

She turned to look at Luna again, who had made her way towards the restrooms.

"Stay here for a while. I need to talk to Luna." Mirana ordered Shendel, who she left before she could hear the sounds of complaints.

Upon entering the restroom, she saw Luna splashing her face with water, shaking her head to get rid of the thoughts that were clouding her right now. Mirana approached her, standing next to the older woman as she preoccupied herself. She soon stopped what she was doing and looked at Mirana through the mirror. Mirana just smiled, offering the cup of latte she was till drinking, which Luna took.

"Thanks, _your highness_." Luna said, the tone of her voice betraying the silent insult she said.

Mirana just smiled, leaving the barista to calm herself down, and made her way towards the break room again. She saw Lanaya putting on her apron, about to leave the room.

"Hey, did something happen outside?" she asked, her hand on the door. Mirana just shook her head.

"Nothing you need to worry about." She answered, pushing Lanaya out of the room. "Now go start your shift! You're late as it is." She said jokingly, earning a laugh from the part-timer.

Now alone in the break room, she went to her laptop to see that Lanaya had done all that was needed. She put a copy of the file in a flash drive, and just as she was about to leave the room again, Mortred entered, face dirty of flour.

"Where are you going?" She asked. Mirana was about to answer, when a plan formed in her head.

"_We_ are going to Dire News." She said, an amused smile on her face, compared to the shocked frown of the baker.

"Why?"

"We're going to get a janitor!" Mirana said excitedly, dragging the protesting baker with her.

"Just make sure you don't get the seats dirty." She said as she put Mortred in her car, before driving off.

"Why do I have to come along?" Mortred protested, throwing her hands up.

Mirana turned to face her, a smile unbecoming of her regal appearance plastered on her face.

"Just needed someone to share the stress with." Mortred, knowing that there's nothing she could do now, just gripped the door handle, looking out at the streets.

"_Merde_"


	5. College Influence

**College Influence**

As the day went on, and the skies no longer plagued by the raging heat of the noon sun, Shendel relished the quiet atmosphere the coffee shop is in right now, after what had supposedly happened before. She was not there to witness it, but judging from Luna's mood, she figured it was a better idea to just continue on as if nothing's happened. Looking at the clock, she saw that it was gracing 4pm.

_Mirana and Mortred still haven't came back yet._

With their absence, the stock of fresh pastries was almost running out. Shendel wished that Mirana hadn't taken Mortred along, as one of the coffee shop's attractions were her pastries. She sighed, sitting at a stool near Luna's station, waiting for more customers. The quiet coffee shop doesn't attract a huge number of people, but it was something that they had loved about it, for if it was crowded, they'd have trouble because of how understaffed they might be.

Her eyes were wandering idly, observing the room. Lanaya was handling the short amount of orders on her own, to the relief of Shendel. The part-timer offered to take time off her hands when her shift started a bit late thanks to a little work she did for Mirana. Turning around, she saw Luna tinkering with her phone. She hoped that Luna had calmed down, but it was always hard to figure out what the older woman was feeling. The only time she knew Luna was fine was when Luna herself initiated whatever conversation they had.

The sound of the door opening took Shendel's full attention, seeing four young looking people enter, each with a different assortment of books or slung backpacks. _College students._ she thought, guessing that they looked older than teenagers. Seeing that Lanaya had made her way to the restroom before the four had entered, Shendel stood up and approached the four as they made themselves comfortable.

"Good afternoon," she greeted, "what can I get you?"

A young looking blonde looked up and met Shendel's gaze, her bangs covered her right eye. She wore a purple scarf and light blue fur jacket, with a white one piece underneath. She had blue eye shadow, adding to her youthful appearance, and a long white pen she stuck on her ear.

"Uh, we were actually looking for someone. She's a part-timer here." She said nervously.

_Ah, Lanaya's friends._ Shendel thought. "Lanaya's in the restroom. Maybe I can take your orders before she comes out."

"Okay. Uhm, I'll have…" the young woman covered her mouth with both her hands, her eyes looking up on thought.

"Don't take too long, Rylai." The other girl said with her voice filled with irritation.

She wore a red and orange sundress, her fiery hair tied into a ponytail with an orange rose clipped on the side of her hair. Despite the difference in the color of their hair and eyes, they looked alike, leading to Shendel in assuming that these two were sisters. A quick glance allowed Shendel to see that one of her legs was reinforced with braces and a crutch leaning on her chair.

"Yeah, yeah, calm down sis." The younger one said, before looking up at Shendel. "Chocomint Frappe please."

"A latte." The older sister said immediately.

Shendel turned to the other two, who were still in thought.

"Do you have green tea?" the masked man asked.

He wore an orange shirt under a red vest, with black pants often used by martial artists. Judging from the oni mask he wore, his bandage-wrapped hands and the wooden sword he had with him, she guessed that it was his uniform.

"Yes, we do." The man nodded.

"Alcohol?" the man next to him asked.

The other man looked chaotic, compared to the calm air the masked one had. A leather cap with his blue hair poking out, his blue eyes bore right through someone, as if he was looking for a fight. His skin was very tanned, almost red from the sun's exposure. He wore a cream colored tank top and light blue shorts.

"We don't serve alcohol here."

"Fuck. Do you at least have sodas?" he asked again.

"Yes."

"Then a coke would be _lovely_." he said, his words laced with annoyance.

Shendel went over to Luna to relay the orders that she had taken.

"Don't get close to the guy in the tank top." Shendel said, Luna raising an eyebrow.

"Why?"

"He looks like he's yearning for a fight." Luna scoffed.

"He'd be lucky if he was still standing if I punched him." She said, Shendel rolling her eyes in response.

"I'm just making sure things stay quiet, Luna." Luna laughed, finding amusement in Shendel's words.

"Yeah, don't we all."

"What's going on?" Lanaya asked as she appeared.

"Nothing interesting." Luna said with an amused smirk.

"Come on. You guys have been saying that since I arrived." Luna laughed again, harder than before.

"You sure are happy now." Shendel stated, herself amused at Luna's changed demeanor compared to earlier.

"Sure am." Luna placed the 3 drinks and a pitcher on a tray, handing it to Shendel. Shendel then gave the tray to Lanaya, confused at the action.

"Give it to that table." Shendel said, putting an extra glass on the tray.

As Lanaya turned to face where Shendel had directed, her face went from confusion to shock, her jaw dropping in surprise through her face mask.

"Oh no…" she said.

"Hey Lanaya!" the blonde girl called out, waving her hand.

Lanaya turned to face the two older women, her eyes pleading for help. Luna just laughed at Lanaya's predicament, while Shendel stifled her giggles.

"Sorry, Lanaya. They're your friends. Go get 'em." Shendel said, lightly pushing the distressed woman.

Lanaya, feeling defeated, went to her friends' table with the drinks they ordered. Her friends looked delighted at her appearance, while she herself was not amused at theirs. Putting the tray on the table, she stood up straight before addressing the blonde.

"Rylai, I thought I told you guys not to come here." Lanaya said, her hands on her hips.

"No, you told me not to embarrass you." Rylai said through giggles.

"And you guys just came along with her?" She said to the others. The older sister just shrugged.

"I don't see what's wrong, Lanaya." She said, taking a sip of her latte.

"Lina's right, Lanaya. There's nothing wrong." The masked one added. Lanaya fully turned her gaze to the two men.

"And you two. The sisters, I get, doing things together. You guys don't have a reason to be here." She pointed to the masked man. "Especially you, Yurnero. Don't you have practice?"

"Finished not too long ago." He said, lifting his mask to drink the tea.

"I'm just here to see if you burned the place down." The other man said, drinking his coke. "Disappointed."

"Come now, Jah'rakal, don't be mean." Rylai said, berating the man.

"It's alright. He wouldn't be Jah'rakal if he wasn't mean." Lanaya said, letting a tired sigh out.

"I'm just saying. Have we ever seen her wait on tables before? _No._" he replied with a pointed finger.

"She seems to be doing fine. Like you can do any better." Yurnero said. Jah'rakal laughed at the insinuation.

"I'm a profound **troll**. I don't need to wait on tables." He said proudly.

"When will you stop being such a troll? It's getting on my nerves." Lina said.

"When hell freezes over. And thank you." He said, before laughing maniacally again.

The group joined the self-proclaimed troll in laughing, finding the perfect chemistry with Lanaya's annoyance dissipating. The two older women looked on from the counter, a soft smile on their faces at the students' jovial dialogue.

"Did you go to college?" Luna asked, prompting Shendel to turn to face her.

"Uh, not really." She said, her face now with a shade of red.

"Me too. Too busy."

"With what?" Shendel asked, curious as to what Luna meant. Luna, seeing that Shendel doesn't know about her past, just shook her head.

"Would you tell me your reason if I tell yours?" Shendel tensed up, an uncomfortable subject being touched upon by the both of them.

"No."

"Then I won't too." Luna said with a tired smirk.

They both stood in an awkward silence together, the memory of their own pasts now in their thoughts. Not wanting to dwell on it further, Luna brought her hand to Shendel's back, startling her with a smack.

"What was that for?" she asked, her back still stinging.

"Nothing. Go wait on the tables," Luna pointed to the people entering the coffee shop, "we have more people."

As Shendel went her way with an annoyed look on her face, Luna sat back on her stool, when suddenly Mirana and Mortred came into view.

"Phew, that sure took a while, right Mortred?" Mirana said, wiping an imaginary sweat with a smirk on her face. Mortred, meanwhile, did not look happy.

"What took you guys so long?" Luna asked. Mirana just shrugged, trying to look innocent while Mortred crossed her arms.

"Well, there may have been a _little_ line at the news agency." She said, glancing at Mortred.

"_Casse-toi_." Mortred said angrily.

"Now now, Mortred, don't be angry." Mirana scolded. "Where's Lanaya?"

"With her friends." Luna said, gesturing to the loud group of students.

"Ah. Alright, can you make a drink for us?" Mirana requested. Luna stood up, turning to face Mortred.

"Anything specific you want?" she asked.

"Whatever." Mortred replied, still looking angry.

"_Mortred._" a shade of red appeared on Mortred's face.

"Hot _chocolat._" Mirana giggled while Luna just smile.

"Alright, coming up."

Mortred just sighed dejectedly, knowing there was nothing she could do, especially against these two women. She only hoped she has time to bake again before closing up.


	6. Her First Weekend

**Her First Weekend**

Days had passed since the recruitment notice was sent out, and Lanaya had become accustomed with the odd quirks, here and there, of her superiors. Her friends have come and gone, although not as a group unlike the first time they came there.

Rylai had frequented the most, hanging out at the coffee shop and being a general nuisance to Lanaya. The others knew that whatever ire she held whenever the young blonde came to visit wasn't real, as they always end up chatting all the way (until Mirana had to tell Lanaya to get back to work.)

Lina, Rylai's older redheaded sister, would sometimes come along with her sister. Her reason for not coming on her own was so Rylai could help her if something were to happen (in regards to her needing a crutch to walk). Mirana had asked why she was in the same year as her younger sister, and Lina simply pointed at her leg.

Yurnero would sometimes come and order tea and spend a few hours just drinking. Lanaya was glad that someone, other than her, had ordered tea.

Jah'rakal had only come again once, a little ordeal had made him weary of entering the coffee shop on his own. His unfriendly and sour attitude got on the nerves of the others, as they had not gotten used to it like Lanaya. One thing led to another and Luna ended up giving him a ripped vest and a broken nose.

Sadly, through the most amount of activity the coffee shop has seen, they still had not heard of a reply for the ad they had sent out in Dire News. Mirana was getting frantic, as she did not want to hire outside help to fix the still broken window, despite the urgings of Selemene. The others merely looked on her predicament, silently glad that they would not be dealing with any of that sort.

And now, in a brand new day, was where things would start looking up for them.

Mortred, up early as ever, walked towards the Dark Moon carrying various kinds of ingredients in plastic bags. The color of her clothes almost matched the surrounding buildings, her usual aquamarine shirt and beige slacks looked very underwhelming compared to what her coworkers and friends wore that people would never realize that she was among them. As she neared the coffee shop, she saw an even earlier Mirana unlocking the door. The sound of rustling plastic bags alerted Mirana before Mortred could greet her.

"Hey there Mortred." Mirana greeted the baker just as she opened the door, allowing the both of them to enter.

"_Bounjour_, Mirana." She replied, heading straight to the kitchen. Mirana tailed behind her.

Mirana just stood at the doorframe, seeing Mortred settle everything on the counter and went straight to work. She had set out all the utensils she needed for a quick start, but stopped briefly when she saw that Mirana was watching her.

"_Quoi_?" she asked, tilting her head. Mirana just shrugged.

"Just watching you work." She yawned, still tired from how early it was. "Did you know there's gonna be a butcher across the street?"

"Really? Is it already opened?" she asked.

"Not yet. It's still being renovated. I asked the people there, they said it'll probably open in a week or two." Mortred looked up in thought.

"That might be nice." She said, before going back to work.

"That's it?" Mirana asked, confused at the lackluster response she got. Mortred shrugged.

"Most of the pastries that people like don't really need meat. Only a few." Mortred said.

With a sigh, Mirana turned and made her way out of the kitchen. To her surprise, she saw Selemene enter the coffee shop, unusually early of her. The owner of the Dark Moon Coffee Shop was tall, even taller than Luna, and the black shirt emblazoned with a silhouette of the moon signified it. Unlike her two oldest employees, she was bald, yet somehow she still looked more feminine than them. She has their utmost respect and loyalty (and gratitude of the others), and she returns it in kind.

"Selemene!" Mirana said in shock, and ran towards her boss. "Allow me." she said, taking her backpack.

"Thank you, Mirana." She said genuinely, as they made their way to her office.

Selemene, often turning up before noon, would often handle the slightly more important decisions and paper work. The office had a simple design, illuminated by a large light source in the middle of the ceiling. The ceiling itself was decorated by numerous stars. A purple office desk with a desktop computer on top of it was in the corner of the room, with the other corner occupied by a mini-fridge and a two-seated sofa.

As Selemene made herself comfortable at her desk, she motioned Mirana to approach her.

"I got a call for that custodian you've been wanting so badly." She said. Mirana coughed.

"A custodian _we've_ wanted." Mirana corrected, earning a laugh from Selemene.

"Sure. Look, he called me personally. He's actually an old friend, so be nice."

"Is that why you're here early?" Selemene nodded. "Okay, I'll keep an eye out." Mirana said as she left the room.

She went on with her duties, taking inventory and planning out her day. Luna soon arrived with Lanaya, her shift starting earlier than usual because of the weekend. What caught Mirana's eye was, instead of the usual books she'd be carrying, she was carrying a small purple kitten. The same kitten she was sure belonged to Luna.

"Luna…" Luna turned to Mirana, an eyebrow raised with Lanaya stopping behind her. "Isn't that…"

"Hm? Oh, yes. Nova wanted to come." Luna said, taking the kitten from Lanaya and putting her on the counter. Luna then turned to face Mirana again.

"I'm surprised you didn't bring Sagan." She said. Lanaya grew curious, seeing the manager blush.

"That was just one time. He didn't want to be alone." She countered, yet Luna just laughed.

"So there's no problem here? Good." Luna said, moving to her stool with Nova following with her gaze.

"Is there any special plans?" Lanaya asked, eager to change the odd subject. Mirana perked up.

"Yes. There'll be a custodian coming in. Selemene's old friend."

"What does he look like?" Lanaya asked again.

"I don't know. Just keep an eye out." She ordered.

The day continued on, with Shendel arriving before they opened up. Being the weekend, a different assortment of customers entered the coffee shop. Because of that, the environment changes, from a semi-serious group of collar workers and students to a random bunch of people hanging around. For this reason, the coffee shop is opened till later in the night.

As midday approached, Lanaya was getting winded, surprised by the sudden increase of patrons on the weekend. Resting next to Luna's station, she passed the time by playing with an eager Nova nibbling on her fingers. Luna herself had just finished making a few drinks, handing the tray to Shendel. Mirana was getting fidgety, eager for their new custodian to arrive.

The next customers to enter caught their attention, and a groan from Luna. Two sharp dressed men came in, one of them wearing a bright red and orange suit and jacket while the other a white shirt with black pants and a red vest. The first man had a goatee, and his eyes almost looked like it was shinning. The other man had sideburns and a short ponytail, his hair almost graying out. Beside the both of them was a corgi with a black coat, happily panting with its tongue out.

They approached the counter and sat at the stool, with Lanaya straightening herself in front of the new customers. Luna looked irritated.

"Good afternoon, Luna. Nice to see you're doing fine." The older looking man sad, the corgi jumping onto his lap.

"And to you too, Detective Banehallow." Luna turned to face the other man. Detective Davion, I'm surprised you're still his partner."

"Well, we work great together Luna. You can't argue with the results." The younger, although still middle-aged, man said back to her.

"I'm just checking up, Luna." The first man, Banehallow said, petting his corgi.

"You don't need to, Detectives. I'm sure there's other things worth more your time." Luna said, turning around to the coffee machine. "The usual, gentlemen?"

"Absolutely." They answered.

Lanaya made her way to Mirana, with Nova still in her hands, questions already circling in her mind.

"What's going on?" Lanaya asked, gesturing at the two detectives.

"Just something." Mirana answered cryptically, Lanaya's brows furrowed in annoyance.

"Really?" She prodded once again, Mirana growing uncomfortable at the subject.

"Look, just ask Luna herself. I'm not okay with talking about her past."

"Who are they, anyway?" Mirana put a pointed finger on her chin.

"Well, the older man is Banehallow. He was this grumpy man, very strict with protocols. He mellowed out after meeting Luna, and being partnered up with Davion, so that's a nice change. Speaking of Davion, from what I heard, he was also pretty by the book, but after something happened, I don't know what, he started loosening up. I think that's the main reason why he's Banehallow's partner."

Lanaya was starting to get even more curious, and not just about Luna's past, but also the detectives'. She let out a tired sigh, hoping that, someday, her curiosity will be sated. In her thought, she did not see the detectives making their way out, passing by them in the process, startling her when she opened her eyes.

"Mirana, good to see you too." Banehallow said, giving a nod to both Mirana and Lanaya.

"You too, detective. Have a pleasant day!" she said before he left the coffee shop with the corgi in tow.

"Good day, ladies." Davion said as he passed them by, putting on his hat with a symbol of a dragon, carrying the drinks Luna had made them.

Lanaya then turned to face her manager. "They don't sound like the people you described." Mirana just shrugged.

"Time changes people." She said.

As the two detectives left the building, an armored truck parked itself in front the Dark Moon, earning brief glances from everyone who just so happened to see it. An old, almost burly looking man exited the vehicle. He wore a soft green shirt with a brown and purple vest. His white hair was receding in the front, but he had outgrown his facial hair, braiding the sides of it.

He entered the coffee shop and immediately approached the eager looking manager and the intimidated part-timer, who had cradled the small kitten still in her arms.

"Is Selemene here?" He asked. Mirana perked up.

"Oh, you must be the-…"

"Sylla! Glad to see you're still alive!" Selemene said, approaching the old man, giving him a short hug.

"Heard you're having trouble?" he asked, his eyes scanning the room.

"Yes. My manager here wanted, desperately, a custodian for the Dark Moon." Sylla then eyed Mirana.

"Alright girl. Do you have any equipment?" he asked. Mirana clapped her hands eagerly.

"Yes! We had purchased them in preparation for anybody who came."

"And it would be _lovely_ if you can fix up that window of ours." Selemene added, pointing to the still broken window.

"Come, I'll take you to the break room, and I can give you the supplies." Mirana said, heading towards the corridor.

"You kids, can't even fix these types of problems yourselves." Sylla said, following the manager, with Selemene following behind him.

Still shocked at what had transpired, Lanaya made her way back to Luna, putting Nova back on the counter. She saw Shendel had taken the seat she was in before.

"Who knew Selemene knew someone so old." Shendel said.

"Not really." Luna laughed, seeing the confused look on the waitresses' faces. Shendel then looked at Lanaya.

"Come on now, you can't rest all day." She lightly scolded, earning a groan from the part-timer.

"But it was so relaxing." Shendel shook her head, standing up and pushed the part-timer towards the customers.

"Brace it, Lanaya, this is what weekends are like." Luna said, encouraging Lanaya to work again.

And, with a sigh, she waited on the tables again. Although not as encouraged as she'd like.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

so, just in case people are wondering why I described Selemene like that, well, I based it off an art Kunkka (the artist) made.

kunkka deviantart com / art/Daughters-of-the-Moon-320234982

looks pretty cool, in my opinion. also looks like an Asari, but that's neither here nor there.

so, I hope you enjoyed this latest chapter!


	7. Immaterial

**Immaterial**

It had been a good day for Mortred. She had kept to herself most of her day in the kitchen, taking a short nap before getting back at it again. She wouldn't have it any other way. She took out her phone, to check any messages and check the time. No messages. And it was 7:35pm.

_Better start cleaning up now._ she thought, stretching her back before standing up.

She heard the door open, and thinking it was one of the girls, she turned to face her guest. She was surprised when she saw an old man starring her in the eye. He had tools strapped around his waist and a mop bucket in his hand, with the mop and a broom in the other. She was even more startled by hhow burly he looked.

"Alright, girl. Get." He said, pointing to the door with an accent Mortred has never heard before. "Haf'ta clean up this mess."

"Oh, no, don't worry. I can clean this myself." She said, but the old man just shook his head.

"No no. You've been in it for hours. Your friends are worried. Get." He said, pushing her out of the kitchen.

Mortred stood outside the door to the kitchen, confused and surprised at what had just happened. She turned and looked for anybody that could explain it. With Mirana being the first person she saw, she approached the manager as she was checking the register.

"Mirana." She called, arms crossed with an annoyed look on her face. Mirana turned with that soft smile she always has.

"Ah, Mortred. You're finally out of your kitchen."

"**Kicked** out, more like." Mirana now gave Mortred her full attention, curious as to what the baker meant.

With hands on her hips, she asked. "What's wrong, Mortred"

"An old man kicked me out." She said with a frown on her face. Mirana giggled, seeing the unfitting emotion her friend is showing.

"It's alright. He's our new custodian." Mirana brought a hand to Mortred's shoulder, dragging the baker along. "Look, he fixed the window!"

Seeing that Mortred wasn't satisfied, Mirana just sighed, patting her friend's head before heading back to the register. Mortred looked out the window, seeing a parked armored truck, the type of trucks used by special armed forces. She made her way outside, trying to see if there was something going on, but found nothing of the sort, other than the constant activity across the street.

"It's Sylla's truck." Someone said behind her. Turning around, she saw Lanaya carrying the trash.

"Who?" Mortred asked in confusion. Lanaya rolled her eyes.

"Sylla. He's the old man, our new custodian. He does more than just cleaning." Mortred turned to face the truck again. "Luna said it's a Bear truck, it means…"

"Ballistic Engineered Armored Response." Mortred turned to face Lanaya again. "I know what it's called. I had contact with lots of these, years ago."

Lanaya grew curious at what Mortred meant. "What do you mean?" Mortred laughed at the part-timer's question.

"Oh, no no no." Mortred said, scolding the young woman. "I won't be illusive if people know too much of me." She said before entering the coffee shop again, leaving Lanaya in her own thoughts.

Inside the Dark Moon, Mortred looked around the room, seeing the smaller number of patrons still inside. She saw Luna playing with Nova with her hands. Despite the years she's gotten to know her, she's never seen the older woman look so peaceful before, with the little kitten in her hands. Opting to not disturb her, Mortred made her way to the break room, in hopes of finding something else to keep herself busy.

Entering the room, she saw Shendel in front of her locker, holding something that she could not see, with her back turned to the door. Mortred quietly approached Shendel, tiptoeing to see what the waitress was holding: a picture. Of Shendel and another man. The man was slightly taller than Shendel, with short blond hair and sharp blue eyes. He wore a light blue shirt with a picture of a balled up white dove.

Mortred was more surprised at Shendel in the picture. Her skin was lighter, and she wore a lighter, more vibrant colored dress. She looked happy, unlike what Mortred has been used to when Shendel began working with them. Mortred took a few steps back, only now seeing silent tears fall down Shendel's face. Mortred grew concerned, seeing her friend, in this state.

"Shendel?" she called out. The waitress tensed, quickly turning around to face her intruder, hiding the picture behind her.

"Mortres. Didn't hear you come in." She said, wiping her tears. "What's wrong?"

"I should be asking you that." Mortred ssaid, putting a hand on Shendel's shoulder. Shendel let out a sad laugh.

"Don't worry. Just found something that brought back memories." She said, turning around and putting the picture back in the locker.

"You want to talk about it?" Mortred offered, but Shendel just shook her head.

"No. It's too painful."

"It's okay. I won't push."

At this point, Lanaya entered the room, her face mask around her neck, but stopped cold when she saw the crying woman with the other's hand on her shoulder. The two turned to face the youngest employee as she closed the door.

"Is this something I'm not allowed to know too?" she asked, earning a giggle from the other two.

"Probably." Mortred said. Shendel shook her head.

"Maybe someday." Lanaya sighed, shaking her head as she made her way to her locker.

"There are way too many secrets in this place." They all laughed at the remark, agreeing to that little fact.

The night went on with no hitches, and eventually the coffee shop was ready to be locked up. All six employees stood outside the building as Mirana locked it up. She then turned to Sylla.

"Sylla, hopefully next time you can park your truck in the back. It blocks the building if it's here." Sylla laughed heartily.

"Alright girl. Where is Selemene?" he asked.

"She left earlier after you arrived. She doesn't stay till the night." Luna said, handing Nova over to Lanaya.

Sylla scoffed, making his way to his truck before leaving the girls.

Shendel bade them farewell as she made her way too, as Mirana was heating up her car. Luna and Lanaya were on Luna's bike, but they had not left yet, seeing a disturbed look on Mortred's face as she looked at her phone.

"What's wrong?" Lanaya asked.

"My landlord tried to call me. Hold on." Mortred said, dialing the number.

"What's going on?" Mirana said, pulling up next to Luna's motorcycle. Luna just gestured to their baker, waiting for the other line to pick up.

They waited for Mortred, who was still waiting on the phone. There was no answer, until,

"Hello? Yes, it's Mortred." She said, and her face grew more distressed.

The others waited for her call to be finished, wondering why is causing her to be this disturbed. Then Mortred cut off the line, putting her phone back in her pocket, looking unsure of what to do.

"Mortred? Is everything okay?" Mirana asked, already out of her car.

"My apartment…."

"What happened to it?" Lanaya asked as well, with Nova still in her hands.

"There was a big accident in the building. Nobody is allowed near it now, until further notice." Mortred said, dejectedly.

"Do you have a place to stay?" Luna asked, Mortred just shook her head.

Lanaya noticed that Mirana was thinking of something, judging from the way she looked. She turned to face Luna, with what people would call a shit-eating grin.

"I _think_ I have a great idea, Mortred." Mirana said, stifling giggles.

Luna already did not like the way this was going, especially since the manager had gotten the baker's attention.

"What is it?" Mortred asked.

Mirana then approached her, draping her arm on Mortred's shoulders and began explaining what her idea was, much to Luna's dismay.

Little did she know that her plan would bring internal turmoil to those who were involved.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

you know, i find it funny that somehow i'm portraying Shendel and Mortred to be like best buds or something. especially concerning what their relationship was like in DotA All Stars...

anyway, i'd like to apologize as well, for those who might be expecting a longer chapter. hopefully this is up to what you guys were at least hoping.

hope you enjoyed it!


	8. Conflicting Revelations

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

okay, this would be the 4th time i upload this chapter. it's been a few hours, and somehow it's not updated, despite it looking like it is.

so, can anybody just tell me, if you read this chapter? that'll be great.

* * *

**Conflicting Revelations**

Lanaya had many possible scenarios of what she'd expect when she came to Luna's apartment on a Sunday morning. Out of all of those, she was **not** prepared for the scene predicament that was in front of her.

Luna had Mortred pinned to the wall with a baseball bat, Mortred only holding it off with the bread knife she always carried. Mortred looked distressed, tears straining at the edge of her eyes, as Luna was in an enraged frenzy. At the edge of her sight, Mortred saw Lanaya standing outside the apartment.

"Lanaya, _aidez-moi_!" Mortred's strained voice jostled Lanaya out her shocked reverie.

Dropping the groceries she brought with her, she tackled Luna to the ground, stopping the older woman from killing the baker. Mortred slumped to the ground, relief washing over her face as she covered it with her hands. Being tackled to the ground had brought the adrenaline out of Luna, now surprised that Lanaya was pinning her down.

"Stop it, Luna. What are you doing!" the younger woman yelled, still shocked at Luna's behavior.

As the rage slowly seeped out of her, shame and regret took its place, looking at anything other than Lanaya. But Lanaya could still see the hatred in her eyes, aimed especially at Mortred. Getting off of Luna, Lanaya went to Mortred, helping her up, but still wanting to know what was causing the barista to act in such a very hostile manner.

"What happened?" Lanaya asked. Even Mortred started looking guilty.

"It's kind of my fault…" Lanaya raised her eyebrow, pressing Mortred to continue. "You know, last night…"

_Last Night_

"What is it?" Mortred asked.

Mirana then approached her, draping her arm on Mortred's shoulder.

"Well, Luna's place is the closest, so you can stay at her place." Luna looked irritated, and knowing how things were going to go, she was not going to have a say in this.

"But Lanaya already goes with her. You can't have three people on a bike."

That shit-eating grin was once again on her face. "Oh, I don't know… Maybe-" she was cut off by Luna, hoping to put some sense in the manager.

"No. You can't. Period." Luna punctuated the last word by pointing at Mirana who just rolled her eyes.

"Fine, you can't three people on a bike." She turned to her car. "I'll take you there myself."

Luna groaned, already accepting the fact that she'll have an overnight guest (possibly for a few days too.) She just turned to Lanaya.

"Go with them." She said, putting on her helmet.

Confused at the request, she approached Luna before she left. "Why?"

"I need to clean up my apartment. Plus, it's night. I don't want Nova to get too cold." And then she took off, leaving a slightly stunned part-timer standing with a purple kitten in her hands.

"Get in girls. This won't take long."

_How much of a lie that was._ the two of them thought, as Mirana had brought them around the city, claiming it to be part of her nightly routine before heading home.

"It's nice outside. The moonlight, the breeze. It's divine." She said, with the covers down on her car.

Lanaya made sure the seatbelt was on, and held on to Nova, as Mirana was as much of a reckless driver in her car as Luna was in her bike. Mortred was just laughing it all off, like a mad woman. They soon arrived at Luna's apartment building, with Mirana waving them off before disappearing in the distance. With a breath, Lanaya gave Nova to Mortred, and made her way to the dorms, citing that she was too exhausted to walk up the building's stairs.

"I'll bring some breakfast tomorrow though." She said before entering the dorms.

Heading up the building's stairs, with a kitten in her hands, was an actual chore, considering how unnecessarily tall the building was, but unlike Lanaya, Mortred had spent most of her day in the kitchen (especially since Mortred **loves** baking). Mortred almost got herself lost, for not knowing which room was Luna's, if it weren't for the kitten suddenly meowing when she passed a door. With a knock, she heard footsteps from inside and waited as it came closer to the door, opening it.

Luna had let her hair down, to the astonishment of Mortred, her piercing gaze amplified by the way her eyebrows looked. Her face softened at the sight of Nova, meowing in anticipation for Luna's warm touch. She took the kitten and brought Mortred inside, closing the door on the way.

The apartment looked cozy, even if it was quite small. The kitchen was decked out, but there was nothing but instant food. A television set was on the wall in the living room, with a generous set of sofas. She couldn't get a good look of the other rooms that the corridor would take them, but the view of the city was nice, even if it was slightly blocked by the dorms across the street.

"Bathroom is down the hall, to the left. My room's to the right. You're sleeping here." Luna pointed at the longer sofa, with a bundle of pillows and a thick blanket added to them.

"Why can't I sleep in your room?" Mortred asked, not looking forward to sleeping on the sofa.

Luna just shrugged as she made her way to her bedroom. "It won't fit the two of us. I already have Nova." She said, closing the door.

Mortred, not knowing what else to do since she didn't want to sleep yet, took off her outer clothes and tried to make herself comfortable under the blankets, turning on the T.V. for some late night entertainment. She was disappointed when there was nothing on but a documentary on the supernatural phenomenon of Atropos that plagued people's dreams, or the news story of how the Kaldr Winter is ravaging the neighboring nations.

She sighed, turning it off and tried to get herself to sleep. At first she wondered why this apartment, although cozy, had almost nothing inside of it. The thought that Luna hardly spent time at her own home came in to mind. Thinking of Luna made her train of thought drift to what Luna was in the years past.

Mortred knew who Luna was years ago, when she was mostly known as the 'Scourge of the Plains' by the common folk. She had no idea why they used 'plains' instead of 'streets' or 'blocks', but it just stuck. Mortred herself never came into contact with her, being younger than her 'sisters', but she did in fact lose many of them to Luna. She was not a force to be reckoned with back then. _Even now, actually…_

Mortred sighed. Thinking of her former 'sisters' brought some unpleasant memories that disturbed her. She was glad to no longer be a part of them, and with a new name, she was able to move on. But she was always on the lookout. She knew how they operated, and anyone close to her now could be killed, even herself. And there was nothing she could do about it.

This is why she wanted something to either keep her mind distracted, or to immediately sleep. Since she can't do either, these thoughts were going to keep her up at night. She got up off the sofa and made her way to Luna's room, prepared to any possible onslaught she might receive. But she received none when she opened the door.

Luna was already asleep, with Nova nestled next to her bosom. Mortred just noticed that Luna slept without a shirt on. Mortred gulped, knowing the implications of what would happen if Luna were to wake up. Taking that leap of faith, she got on Luna's small bed, careful not to wake the sleeping woman (and little Nova). The warmth that Luna oozed was infectious, as Mortred suddenly felt sleepy just by being inside the blankets, and before she knew it, she had drifted off to sleep.

She woke up in the early Sunday morning to the sight of Nova. For a moment Mortred forgot what had happened, but she quickly remembered, scratching the kitten's head, earning a soft purr. Still sideways on the bed, she saw that Luna was also still asleep. She looked peaceful. Her eyes drifted down to Luna's chest. A small feeling of envy crept up in her, seeing the generous gifts Luna had compared to her. Unconsciously, she brought a hand to one of Luna's breast and marveled at how soft it was. Almost in a trance, she could've kept going until she heard someone clear their throat.

Looking back up, she saw that Luna had opened her eyes, looking irritated. An awkward laugh escaped Mortred's lips, thinking of a way to diffuse the situation.

"Do you always sleep without a shirt on?" _wrong thing to say._ she thought.

Luna just sighed, before pushing Mortred off the bed, letting the baker land on her back. Putting her own shirt on, she carefully tucked Nova in, before facing her guest as she stood up.

"Yes, I do." Was all she said, before leaving the room.

Mortred followed her out, tidying up the blanket and pillows that she did not use. She sat back down and turned the T.V. on as Luna approached with two glasses of juice for both herself and her guest.

Thinking of something to talk in the morning, she Mortred remembered what the part-timer told her last night. "Lanaya said she'll be coming with breakfast."

Luna nodded. "Yeah, she told me."

"You seem very close with her."

"We're neighbors. It's a given."

"But you seem to give her some extra attention."

Luna chuclked. "She's like the sister I never had."

Mortred laughed. "Who knew the Scourge of the Plains had a soft side."

Mortred's eyes widen. _Oh no._ she thought, realizing the grave mistake she had made. A quick glance made her see that Luna had tensed. Trying to escape from the situation, she made her way to the kitchen sink, washing the glass that was used.

"How do you know that?" she heard Luna say behind her. Mortred gulped.

"What? Everyone knows who the Scourge of the Plains, Luna. Ha ha ha…" She could feel Luna's steps getting closer.

"No. People know the name, people have heard of the Scourge of the Plains." Now Mortred could feel Luna right behind her. "But nobody knows who **I** am, except the City Guards, a bunch of detectives, Selemene and Mirana, and the **gangs** I came across years ago."

Mortred turned around, and even though she knew that Luna was standing behind her, she was still surprised at how close Luna stood. Mortred couldn't read Luna's emotion, as the older woman continued on staring at Mortred. Mortred knew there was no easy way out of this, so she opted to just tell Luna the truth.

Mortred laughed nervously, a hand behind the back of her neck. "Ah. I was part of the 'Veil' back then."

Luna's face did not change, so Mortred decided to move out of the barista's way, making her way to the bathroom. But she heard Luna move, and the sound of something being picked up. On instinct, Mortred ducked, only now noticing the item that Luna had picked up. A metal bat that had lodged itself on the wall.

"Luna! What the hell!" she yelled, but the her own anger turned to fear when she saw the rage emanating from Luna.

"You're a Veiled Sister? Are you here to kill me?!" Luna freed the bat, and swung it down, but Mortred had moved out of the way again, straight to the living room.

"No! I'm not with them anymore!" she said, trying to convince her friend. But it was difficult, as Luna had swung the bat again.

Mortred dodged it, making her way to her pack, taking out the bread knife she had to defend herself.

"How can I trust you?" Luna said, not swinging the bat yet.

"The Veiled Sisters don't just kill random people. They kill the ones that are picked."

"Oh, I know, Mortred. Not even Banehallow can see any patterns. Anyone can be a target."

"Even me! I'm as much as a possible target for them as you are!" she still tried to convince Luna, but Luna had swung the bat again. Mortred had deflected it, moving to the side.

"Prove it!" Luna yelled out, before swinging her bat once again.

That was what Mortred had tried to do, in between dodging and deflecting Luna's blows. But Luna was strong, and she saw that another swing came at her. She couldn't dodge it in time, and the momentum was too powerful for her to simply send it out of her way. She braced for impact with her own knife, holding the bat in place but pushing her to the wall with Luna's weight on the swing.

"_Merde_. Luna, please stop." She begged, but her friend was now in a blind frenzy.

There was no way out of it. Nobody would get out of this unscathed, at best. At worst, one of them would die. Then she heard the apartment's doorknob turning.

_Present_

During the retelling of the entire incident, they had made their way to Luna's small dining table. Lanaya saw that Luna's rage had completely left her, fully replaced by guilt and shame. But she still looked angry, especially at Mortred, who looked guiltier, tired and very emotionally drained. Lanaya sighed, fully realizing the magnitude at the whole situation in front of her.

"You're the 'Scourge of the Plains', Luna?" Lanaya asked. Luna turned away from the college student, but nodded a reply.

_She's ashamed of her past. And so is Mortred._ she thought, turning her head to face the former 'Veiled Sister'.

"How are you no longer a 'Veiled Sister', Mortred?" Mortred closed her eyes, but then opened them again, looking at nothing.

"I was caught by the City Guard. They were willing to let me go, in exchange for giving them all I have on my 'sisters', and to never get into contact with them again."

"Just like that?" Lanaya wasn't sure if that was the whole answer.

"I always wanted to leave. Well, not really leave. I was _curieux_ of what I could be if I wan't part of them." Mortred looked up, a soft expression on her face. "I always wanted to be a painter. Or a doctor." She put the bread knife she was holding onto the table. "Or a _baker_."

She covered her face with her hands, powerful emotions ready to burst.

"We don't have names. We were only called a 'Sister of the Veil'. I was punished just for giving myself a name." she brought her hands down, and both Lanaya and Luna could see that, although she wasn't sobbing, Mortred's eyes were red, straining with tears. "One of the City Guard was especially kind to me. She helped me get a new identity, a new life."

"Was her name Slithice?" Luna asked, a surprised expression flashed on Mortred's face.

"Yes. How did you know?" Luna let out a tired laugh.

"She was the one who hooked me up with Selemene. She's a good friend."

Mortred nodded. "She is."

An awkward silence filled the air as the truth had been laid out on the table. Lanaya was still waiting for one thing, though, until she's sure everything was fine. Luna then looked straight at Mortred, the anger no longer in her eyes.

"I'm sorry."

_There it is._ Lanaya thought, a relieved smile hidden in her face mask.

The tears silently fell as Mortred heard those words, eternally grateful that things had, or at least would, work out. Lanaya then stood up, grabbing their attention as she took the groceries she had brought and turned on Luna's stove.

"Now that we got that out of the way, it's time for breakfast." She said.

All three of them laughed, especially how hungry they were after all of that.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

well, now that one of the bigger conflicts have been dealt with (yes there will be more, although not as soon as this.) i gotta say, this has been such a joy to write. my most favorite chapter.

hope you guys enjoyed it as much as i have!


	9. Sunday at the Grove

**Sunday at the Grove**

Sunday mornings were always Mirana's favorite time. The coffee shop doesn't open on Sundays, which meant she could spend most of her own time, taking care of her needs or just do nothing the whole day. Considering the amount of available employees the Dark Moon has, she not only has to do her duties as the manager, but she also has to help wait on tables if things get too hectic.

Right now, she was content with eating her cereal on the balcony, overlooking the city with the healthy morning sun on her face. The lounger chair she had made it even more comfortable, with a white cat with blue stripes resting on her thighs. She scratched the cat's head, getting a purr in response. Mirana really did love Sundays.

Of course, she had an appointment with a vet today, unable to schedule on weekdays. Finishing up her cereal, she took the lazy cat in her arms and made her way out of her apartment. The elevator down was a quiet ride, which made her day even better. Moving straight to her car, she plopped her cat on the passenger seat, where it stretched itself before going back to sleep.

Mirana shook her head, still marveled at how lazy her cat could be. She scratched his back. "Get ready Sagan, you're going to the vet today." She giggled when she felt the cat tense up.

And with that, she went on her way. The vet in question resided in the local zoo, tending with the captive animals there as well. Mirana didn't really liked zoos much. Seeing the animals always made her sad, in a way. But it made her happy that the vet she was heading to works there; she has a way with animals.

Mirana arrived not too late to be caught in traffic, just before the zoo was opened. At 10:32am, she still had plenty of time before the bell rings. As she parked her car, she saw a familiar looking armored trucked that belonged to a certain old custodian of theirs. She wondered why Sylla was also at the zoo. _maybe we have something in common._ she thought, making her way inside.

With her appointment, the zoo staff had led her straight to the vet's office. The room was empty, but Mirana heard some voices that came from the back. Curiosity took her, as she made her way through the office and out the back. She came to an opened area that was empty except for a huge bear resting with an odd looking grey bear cub playing in the corner, biting and chewing a monster doll.

She saw Sylla near the resting bear as the vet was checking it. The vet stood up and addressed Sylla.

"I told you, he's fine, Sylla. There's nothing for you to be worried about." The vet said, hands on her hips.

Sylla looked unconvinced. "Are you sure? He's never been like this. Mayb-" he was cut off by the vet, quieting him down with her hand.

"He's healing. He's under my care now, there's nothing for you to be worried about. Okay?" Sylla calmed down, putting his hands on her shoulders.

"You're right. Animals are always cared for in your grove." The vet giggled.

Sylla turned to face the cub that was alone in the corner, approaching it from behind. The vet followed him as he did so. He crouched down to the cub's level.

"Is he the one that took my finger off?" Sylla asked, unconsciously flexing his fingers.

"Yes. I've been making sure he's happy when you brought him here." Sylla laughed, scratching the cub's head before standing up.

"Grow up to be strong, pup. Maybe you can take me on one day." Sylla laughed heartily again.

"You shouldn't wrestle bears, Sylla. It's not wise." The vet scolded.

Sylla turned to face the vet. "Don't be telling an old man about being wise."

Both Sylla and the vet laughed. Mirana saw how close they were, as if they both go a long way. Like Sylla's relationship with Selemene. She envied him a bit, on how he's close with these people. She tensed up when Sylla's gaze fell on her, a smirk forming on his face.

"Looks like you have another patient." He said, making his way towards the exit. "Good morning, girl. Be careful around her." He patted her head and laughed as he left the room.

Mirana pouted, feeling like being treated like a child by Sylla, despite the fact that she was almost thirty. She shook her head and went towards the vet. She didn't wear scrubs, opting for just a green tank top and blue jeans, showing her midriff through the lab coat she wore over it. The vet greeted with a soft smile.

"Hey Mirana, how's Sagan doing?" The vet asked taking the cat that Mirana had in her arms.

"He's lazy as always. How are you doing, Aiushtha." The vet groaned when Mirana called her by her name.

"Don't call me that. It's such a mouthful." Mirana giggled at the vet's discomfort.

"Alright, _Ench_." The vet smiled, leading Mirana back into her office.

"So, what's new with you?" Ench asked while checking up on Sagan.

"Personally, nothing much." Mirana answered, shrugging to effect. "But we got a new part-timer. And Sylla is also working there." Ench looked up at Mirana, an eyebrow raised.

"Really? What's that old man doing?" she asked, going back to Sagan.

"He's our custodian. Fixed our window too."

"Where'd he come from, anyway? He's not the type to just answer some recruitment call."

"Turns out he's an old friend of Selemene."

"Ah, that makes sense."

Mirana waited for the vet to finish what she was doing, moving to a nearby chair. She felt her phone vibrate, taking it out to see the text message she had gotten. _Lanaya?_

**From:** Lanaya

You know about Luna?

_Uh oh._

**From:** Mirana

About what?

Mirana felt a trickle of sweat drop down.

**From:** Lanaya

Don't be coy.

She sighed.

**From:** Mirana

Yeah. How'd you know?

**From:** Lanaya

From her. And Mortred.

Mirana furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

**From:** Mirana

What?

**From:** Lanaya

She's a Veiled Sister.

_what?_

**From:** Lanaya

Former.

**From:** Mirana

How?

**From:** Lanaya

Ask her yourself.

Mirana sighed again.

**From:** Mirana

What happened?

**From:** Lanaya

Almost killed each other.

Her eyes widened in surprise.

**From:** Mirana

Seriously?

**From:** Lanaya

Yeah. Stopped them.

Worry crept up in her of her two friends.

**From:** Mirana

How are they now?

Mirana couldn't stop fidgeting, waiting for Lanaya's response.

**From:** Lanaya

They'll be fine. Hopefully.

Mirana sighed in relief.

**From:** Mirana

Where are you now?

**From:** Lanaya

The dorms.

**From:** Mirana

Is Mortred at Luna's?

**From:** Lanaya

No. She's checking her apartment.

**From:** Mirana

Ok. I'll check up on them.

**From:** Lanaya

Don't.

**From:** Mirana

Why?

**From:** Lanaya

I think it's better if they let out some steam on their own.

**From:** Mirana

Alright.

**From:** Lanaya

Do you think Selemene knows about Mortred?

_now there's a thought._

**From:** Mirana

I'm pretty sure.

**From:** Lanaya

How many secrets are there?

Mirana chuckled at the question.

**From:** Mirana

A lot. I'm sure.

Lanaya didn't immediately replied for a few minutes.

**From:** Lanaya

Alright. Cya.

**From:** Mirana

Later.

Mirana put her phone back in her pocket. _That was a lot of things on the table._ she thought. She still worried how this revelation would affect the group. She knew how Luna acted with the people from her past, and the fact that Mortred was a Veiled Sister complicated things. The fact that Selemene possibly knew about this, **and** still let Mortred amongst them made Mirana think that it just might be okay.

"Alright, looks like everything's in order." Ench said, taking Mirana out of her train of thought.

"So nothing's wrong?" she asked. The vet just smiled smugly.

"Are you doubting me? I'm the Enchantress!" She said, laughing almost maniacally.

"Yes, you do have a way with animals." Mirana agreed, taking Sagan in her arms.

Her eyes looked around the room. "Do you always stay cooped up here?"

"This is my grove. I'm more comfortable being around animals."

"Do you have any other reason to leave?"

"Of course!"

Mirana waited for the answer. "What?"

"To eat, or sleep." Mirana groaned as the esteemed Enchantress giggled. "Sometimes I join in protests."

"Really?"

"Yeah." Ench pointed to a photo on the wall. A picture of her and another older man wearing blue and pink. "He's a profound activist. Always saying that people need to pay the price."

"What price?" Mirana asked.

"The same price we made nature pay."

"Isn't that a little bit drastic?" She asked in disbelief.

Ench just shrugged. "Sometimes I can see why, though. You can too, can't you?"

Mirana grimaced, feeling guilty. "A little bit."

The vet just laughed, seeing that Mirana was no different than her. She put her hand around Mirana's shoulder, being intimately close to the manager, who was starting to feel awkward.

"There's nothing to be ashamed about, Mirana. That's just how nature works." She said, caressing the manager's cheek.

Mirana broke out of the vet's embrace. "Why do you always have to be so forward?"

Ench simply laughed at the question. "Because. You know what I love?" she asked, waiting for Mirana's full attention. "Everything!" she started laughing maniacally again, to Mirana's discomfort.

"Wow, Auishtha. Sometimes I forget just how weird you are." Mirana said.

"And that's why people love me."

Mirana made her way to the exit, but stopped for a moment. She turned around to face the vet again.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Shoot."

"You seem to be close with Sylla." Auishtha raised a eyebrow.

"Yes. And?"

"He's also very close with Selemene."

"What of it?"

"I never realized this, but just how old are you?"

Mirana saw Aiushtha's eyes widened briefly, but it was gone in a moment. She shook her head, before addressing the question that was given to her.

"Oh, Mirana. You're a lady. You should know that it's impolite to ask a woman of her age."

Mirana sighed. "Alright, I won't budge. Just odd, is all." She said, before leaving the office and leaving before the zoo got crowded.

But as the door closed, and she was sure Mirana was far, Aiushtha let out a breath of relief.

"Oh, how little she knows of nature."


	10. A Day at the Butchers

**A day at the Butchers**

More than a week had passed since the ordeal between Luna and Mortred. Although they had settled things down, the relationship between the barista and the baker was back at square one, much to the dismay of the baker in question. Their conflict, and their past, spread to the rest of the Dark Moon.

Selemene had scolded Luna like a little girl for not only lapsing into an uncontrollable rage that she had fought hard to suppress, but also almost killing their most talented baker. Mirana made sure that she did not let out a sound during Selemene's lecture, despite how funny she thought the situation was, otherwise she would most likely be in Mortred's shoes.

Shendel, to Mortred's great relief, did not think of her any differently when she heard that Mortred use to be a 'Veiled Sister'. The waitress had not grown up in the surrounding areas, and thus did not hold any sort of ire for any of the gangs. She had, however, heard the 'Scourge of the Plains' before, but the things she heard about had painted a different picture than what she sees in Luna right now.

To Mirana's surprise, their custodian had barely reacted to the news. Her curiosity and nitpicking got the better of her and she ended up asking him why he didn't say anything of it.

"Nothing's surprises you when you reach my age, girl." He said, still treating her like a little girl.

Despite the tension, Lanaya was amazed that it barely hindered their work environment, envying their sense of professionalism. Mirana had told her that it was from the way Selemene had run things that made the gears turn in the coffee shop despite the minor rust.

And so, through it all, the Dark Moon continued operating without a hitch. Yet they hated it when the air of the room would change every time Luna and Mortred would be in the same room. They wondered when the two would go back to being like they used to. Especially Mirana.

Now Shendel had brought Mortred along to the new butcher that had opened across the street so her friend wouldn't stay cooped up in the kitchen. She had been in a somber mood ever since, despite the reassurance she got from the others. Inside the butcher's, they sat near the entrance, waiting for the butcher himself to appear.

Shendel turned to her friend. "So, how are you doing?"

Mortred let out a tired sigh. "I don't know. I thought things would get better between us. But now…" she brought her hands to her face. "_Merde_, Shendel. I don't know what to do."

Shendel brought an arm around Mortred's shoulder. "Normally, it would be me that's always broody." Mortred giggled at the remark.

"And I would be the one making cheering you up." She sighed again, dropping her hands. "It feels like we were dating and I cheated, and now she's giving me the cold shoulder."

"It does feel like that." Her gripped tightened on Mortred's shoulder. "Don't worry. That hard exterior will crack open one day."

"I hope so."

The sound of a door opening broke them out of their little personal space, tiny vibrations felt form the floor signaling that someone heavyweight was walking. They looked to see a pudgy man wearing a blood-splattered apron, his wide smile showing his crooked teeth. He wore nothing behind the apron, with piercings around his body being showcased. He held his arms wide open.

"Ah, welcome to my humble establishment!" he gestured the two women to approach him. "What can I get you?"

Both women stood up and approached the butcher's counter.

"My _friend_ here is a baker. And she'd like to see your selection so she can make some pastries." Shendel said, gesturing to Mortred who was silently looking at the available meats.

The butcher's brows furrowed upon seeing Mortred's expression. "S'wrong with your friend here?"

"Relationship troubles." Shendel said.

Mortred faced Shendel, eyes wide and face red with embarrassment. "Shendel!"

"What? It's the truth."

"But people will think of something else!"

The butcher laughed, seeing the two woman bicker. "Right, how 'bout I offer you this." He took out a plate of sweetbread. "They're sweetbreads."

Mortred eyed the food suspiciously, slowly taking a bite out of it. Her face grimaced. "It's not sweet. And it's not bread." The butcher laughed again.

"And you need a butcher, not a baker."

Mortred sighed again. "Maybe you have some chicken filet?"

The butcher scratched his chin in thought. "I think I have some in the back. Hold on."

The butcher went to the back again, leaving the two women to themselves again.

"See? Going out helps. I know." Shendel said.

Mortred raised her eyebrow. "From experience?"

Shendel's expression turned into a more sullen look. "Yeah. Look, just don't dwell on it, alright?"

"Isn't this the type of thing I tell you?"

"Exactly."

Silence briefly took the air before the two women went into a giggling frenzy. It was cut off when they heard a sudden scream coming from the back. It shut them up till the butcher came back out, carrying a plastic bag with him. His face now had blood splattered on it.

"Here you go. Chicken filet." He said as he handed the bag to Mortred.

As Mortred inspected what's inside, Shendel started getting nervous. "Uh, what was that?"

"Hm?"

"That scream we just heard…"

"Oh. Telly is all."

"Really? It was so lifelike…"

The butcher laughed. "'Cause it's high-def."

"Then why is your face bloodied now?"

"Oh, must've splattered." He said, wiping the mess off.

Mortred looked up to him. "How much for this?"

"9 quid."

"Okay." Mortred took out her wallet and paid the butcher. "_Merci._"

"Thanks for coming by! Tell your friends, Pudge the Butcher is waiting!" he said as the two of them walked out.

As they crossed the street, Shendel looked back to the butcher's, wondering if everything really as simple as it seems. Seeing that Mortred still looked distressed as ever, she put her own thoughts on hold and went to comfort her friend.

"_Mortred_…" Mortred sighed.

"What?"

"What are you thinking?"

Mortred did not answer immediately. "…maybe I can make a pie with this chicken."

Shendel rolled her eyes. "You know that's not going to change anything. You have to just let her try to move on on her own."

"I guess."

Shendel stopped the both of them and gave Mortred a hug. "Everything will be fine. Luna's your friend. Things will get better, okay?"

Mortred nodded in Shendel's embrace. They continued on, heading back to the coffee shop. The Dark Moon was in a quiet phase, with Lanaya handling the customers on her own. Mirana perked up, seeing the two women enter the building.

"Hey girls, what did you get?"

"She got some chicken." Shendel said.

"That's it?" Mortred nodded. Mirana turned to face Shendel. "How was the butcher?"

"He seems pleasant. But he's very creepy." Mirana's brows furrowed.

"How so?" she asked, Shendel looked around nervously.

"I don't know. I think he's a cannibal." Mirana's eyes widened.

"What? You're crazy!" Shendel scoffed.

"Then why don't you go there on your own?"

Mirana rolled her eyes. "Fine, when I want to buy some meat, I'll go there. With you."

Mortred had tuned out their conversation, slowly heading towards the kitchen. She stopped momentarily, glancing towards Luna, who was engrossed with the newspaper. She decided on approaching the older woman.

"Hey, Luna…" she got no response. "How are you today?"

Luna turned a page on the newspaper.

"Would you like some chicken pie?" still no response. Mortred sighed, tears straining from her eyes as she made her way towards the kitchen.

"Mortred." She stopped, turning to face Luna who was still reading the newspaper. "Here you go." Luna gestured a cup of hot chocolate that she had prepared before.

Mortred made her way towards Luna's side, slowly taking the cup. She inhaled the sweet aroma before taking a sip of the hot beverage. A soft tear had broken free from her eye, but with the happiest smile she's had all week.

"_Merci_, Luna."

Luna tore her eyes from the newspaper, turning to face the baker. Indigo eyes met aquamarine. With her own smile, she said, "You're welcome, Mortred."

And with that, Mortred embraced Luna in a tight hug, almost spilling the cup. A hug that Luna reciprocated in kind. The others seeing the scene in front of them smiled empathetically, happy for them making up.


	11. The Guards' Meeting

**The Guard's Meeting**

A small time had passed since the equilibrium of the coffee shop had finally returned to its desired state. It felt like nothing had changed for Lanaya, having the least amount of hours put into the coffee shop 'cause of her current employment. The part-timer was also happy that the small amount of coworkers here had made her grow close with each of them.

She had become relatively close with Luna. The fact that they live across the street from each other, and how different she was treated by the older woman certainly helped. She would spend her Sundays at Luna's apartment, usually preparing breakfast for her (and Mortred, who was still staying at Luna's).

Speaking of the baker, their relationship was also rising. Mortred's odd, yet friendly personality had drawn Lanaya in from the start; it was especially so different than what she had read up on the 'Veiled Sisters.' The delicious pastries were also a plus.

It was an interesting case that she was most comfortable with the two women who possibly had the most dangerous personalities. Mirana figured that it might be because how she acted as a foil to them.

Mirana was also very personable. At first Lanaya thought that it was her 'manager' persona, but Mirana had shown that it was not the case. She also saw that she would create a regal air around anybody that wasn't close to her. Lanaya wondered if Luna's nickname for her had something to do with it.

Shendel was a hard egg to crack for her. They've become friendly, yet Shendel was still not fully open to her (and everyone else, for that matter). Only Mortred caught a glimpse of what she's really like, and even that was still **only** a glimpse.

Their new custodian was a peculiar person. He'd treat all of them like they were still in their adolescence. Only Luna was exempt from it, and Mirana had joked that it was because she was over thirty years old.

The only person in the coffee shop that she had not gotten to know more was the esteemed owner. Selemene hardly came to the coffee shop; and even if she did, she would be busy in her office. Only Mirana and Luna would have contact with her.

The few weeks that she had worked in the Dark Moon had also made her accustomed to all the ridiculous drinks that exist. She was still disappointed at almost nobody ordering tea; only her friend Yurnero would drop by once in a while and drink tea.

The fact that there was someone that ordered tea had peeked her curiosity.

A lightly tanned man sat quietly, reading a book in a language that Lanaya did not understand. He had a red eye and a scarred blinded left eye, the scar itself going across the left side of his face. He wore a white shirt complimented with a brown vest and a brown pantsuit, with a stuffed up bag on the other chair. He had placed some sort of hunting knife on the table when Lanaya had delivered the tea he ordered.

She had been eyeing him ever since.

She turned to Luna. "Do you know who he is?"

The barista looked up from her phone. "Him?" Lanaya nodded. "Sure, I know who he is."

"And?"

"He went after me for a while."

Lanaya was confused for a moment, till she realized that Luna was talking about her past. She sighed, being kited around by Luna, who was smirking. "You're not going to bring me out of the loop?"

"I'll tell you this, Lanaya," Luna set her phone down, fully addressing the part-timer. "He only comes here when he has an appointment."

"With who?"

Luna smirked again. "You'll see." Lanaya went back to waiting on other tables when Luna wasn't answering her question.

Almost an hour later, she saw two City Guards entering the coffee shop; a lithe looking woman and a burly looking man. They both wore the greenish-blue uniform of the City Guard, with very dark purple pants. Their guard hats had a symbol of a glowing teardrop. The only thing differentiating their uniform was their badges: the woman had a note symbol while the man had a trident.

Their appearance was almost polar opposites of each other. The woman had orange-tinge red hair with piercing yellow eyes and a soft smile on her face. The man on the other hand had a shaved head and a frown that intimidated the people around him. They both approached Luna when they entered.

"Good afternoon Luna." The woman greeted.

Luna looked up and smiled when she saw the City Guards. "Slithice! It's been so long!" her gaze turned to the man. "And you too Slardar." The man nodded.

"What can I get you two?" she asked. They both shook their heads.

"You know we're here for other reasons." Slardar said.

"Hm? Oh, really?" Luna feigned ignorance. Lanaya rolled her eyes as she heard the conversation.

"We're here to talk to Gondar. Is he here?" the female City Guard asked.

"He's drinking tea." Luna said, pointing at the man that Lanaya had asked about.

The two City Guards then approached the one man, still reading his book. They joined him on the table, taking the empty seats available.

"Gondar." The burly guard called out.

The man then set his book down, looking at his two guests. He took a sip of his tea before clearing his throat. "Slardar. Slithice. What can I do for you now?"

Lanaya approached them, before they could answer. "Could I get you two a drink?"

They both looked at each other before facing the part-timer. "Herbal tea and just mineral water for him."

She took the order to Luna while trying to eavesdrop on whatever they were about to talk about.

"It's been a while. I thought the City Guards had no need of my services anymore."

Slardar slammed the table with his fist. "We wouldn't need it if the higher ups weren't hindering our progress!"

Slithice put a hand on Slardar's shoulder. "Calm down, Slardar." She turned to face Gondar. "But he is right."

Lanaya came to the table bringing their beverages and stuck around near the table.

"Have you heard of what happened at Dark Reef?" The tanned man nodded.

"What of it? I thought the Guards handled it." He said, taking another sip of his tea.

"We did." Slardar took a sip of his own drink. "But not all of them."

"One of them managed to escape." Slithice took out a folder, handing it to Gondar.

"Ah, the last Nightcrawler." He looked over the files. "I'm surprised he's still alive."

"Well, he is. And we need your help in getting him back." Slithice added.

Slardar took out a map. "His last known location was here."

"And why is it that your people aren't handling this?"

"It's because the higher ups deemed it no longer being our assignment." The burly man shook his head. "Corrupt assholes."

"Now now, Slardar. We don't want you getting fired." Slithice turned to face Gondar again. "Will you take this job?"

Gondar smiled, showing his sharp canines. "I will never turn away a job in the name of justice."

"Thank you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to use the restroom." She said, standing up and heading towards the back.

With just the two of them, Slardar leaned in closer to Gondar. "Look, I need to know that you will get him."

"Why the sense of urgency?" he asked.

"This Nightcrawler had shown signs that he's interested in Slithice."

Gondar perked up an eyebrow. "Are you asking me to keep an eye on her?"

"No, I already got that. I just don't want him to pop up and ruin her life. He's almost like a stalker."

"Can't make any promises on that, Slardar." He finished his cup of tea.

"Very well."

Sensing the conversation was really over, Lanaya went back to Luna, who was still engrossed in her phone.

"Heard anything you like?" she asked. Lanaya just sighed.

"It's about what happened at Dark Reef." She shook Luna, dragging the older woman's attention away from her phone. "What is that man?"

"He's a bounty hunter."

"They still exist?" Lanaya asked in disbelief.

"Maybe." Luna wrapped an arm around Lanaya's shoulder. "Gondar is known for doing the City Guards more questionable tasks."

"Is he a City Guard, though?"

Luna shook her head. "No. At best, he's a vigilante. But he doesn't randomly catch criminals on the street."

Lanaya looked down, her mind in thought. "Wait a minute. When you said he went after you for a while," she looked at Luna's indigo eyes. "you don't mean…"

Luna sighed. "Yes. We've been in a scuffle a few times. He could never win one on one against me, and knowing that, he just lead the City Guards to my location. Every time."

Lanaya chuckled. "That must've been a pain."

"It really was."

The two women shared a laugh, but Lanaya quieted down when the female guard had reappeared in the room. She approached Luna with a soft smile, yet her stance stood unwavering.

"It's good seeing you like this, Luna." She said.

"It feels great." Luna motioned to the kitchen. "Do you want to see Mortred?"

Slithice shook her head. "No need. I came across her on my way to the restroom. And Selemene too." Luna tensed, knowing what was going to be said. "I heard what had happened."

Luna sighed, a feeling of guilt rising again. "We got passed it, don't worry."

The female guard laughed melodiously. "Oh, you better. It would've been a pain to deal with the aftermath between you two."

Slithice then turned to face Lanaya, who was standing behind Luna. "I'm hoping your young friend here can keep a secret." Lanaya's eyes widen. "You need to work on your skills if you want to eavesdrop on people."

Lanaya felt her cheeks redden from the scolding she got. "Don't worry. I can keep secrets."

"That's right." Luna added. "Lanaya here loves secrets. Always asking people about anything."

"I'm just curious, Luna."

"You're always curious."

The two of them laughed again, with Slithice joining in. After a while, Slardar approached them, nodding to Slithice.

"Well, looks like I have to get back to it. See you later Luna!" Slithice said, waving off as she left the coffee shop.

"She's a nice person." Lanaya said. Luna chuckled at the statement.

"Of course she is. She helped Mortred and me out."

Just as Lanaya was about to wait on the other tables, the bounty hunter had approached them.

"Luna. How much for the tea?" he asked, taking out the wallet.

"Eleven. And you didn't need to come here, just leave it on the table." Luna said. The man shook his head.

"Nonsense. I hadn't greeted the _Scourge of the Plains_ yet." The man laughed, seeing Luna's brows furrowed in annoyance. "Keep it up, woman. You're doing lovely."

"Like you're one to judge."

"I'm not. But it is good." The man made his way towards the door. "See you some other time."

Lanaya stared at Luna, seeing the woman's expression slowly turn from annoyance to weariness, letting out a sigh.

"What a prick."

Lanaya giggled at the remark as she continued waiting on other tables.


	12. The Tavern down the Street

**The Tavern down the Street**

The Dark Moon operates differently depending on what day of the week it was. On simple weekdays, it opens from 10:00am to 9:30pm. On Sundays the coffee shop is closed. On Saturdays, they open an hour earlier and close up at 11:30pm. The reasoning behind it was so they could accommodate the Saturday night action, even though it was still quiet. All it did was allowing people to loiter around the coffee shop before midnight broke.

Knowing this, Lanaya, after getting accustomed to her new schedule and shift, was now hanging around with Rylai. Mirana allowed the part-timer to relax as she began tidying the place up with Sylla. Selemene, as usual, had left the coffee shop earlier that day, leaving it in her hands. She guessed that Mortred might still be in the kitchen, but she had no idea where Luna and Shendel were, as they were not in their usual places.

As if on cue, the barista had showed her face to the rest, appearing from the corridor already dressed in her blue jacket, a helmet tucked under her arm. This prompted a raised eyebrow from Mirana.

"Where are you going?" she asked, earning a shrug form the older woman.

"Leaving early." She answered.

"Yeah, I got that." Mirana sighed. "Why?"

"Why not? This place is practically empty."

"But what if someone comes? Only you can work the coffee machine." The barista laughed.

"Then you better come up with something."

"No, Luna. You can't do this. Until we're ready to close up, **then** you can leave."

Luna, with a smirk, was impressed. "Are you ordering me?"

Mirana tensed up for a moment, afraid to draw the ire of the older woman, but she was going to stand her ground. "Yes." She said, her head held up high.

Luna instead laughed heartily, earning a confused response from the manager. When she calmed down, she made her way to her station. "Alright, _Your Highness_, I'll stick around."

Mirana breathed a sigh of relief with Luna's cooperation. It was at this moment that Shendel had decided to show herself as well, carrying the day's garbage and taking out. Sylla moved to intervene, taking the bag from her hands without saying a word. She was confused at the sudden action, standing unmoving for a moment before taking the custodian's broom.

"So what do you think of Sylla?" Mirana asked.

"He's very confrontational." Shendel answered while sweeping the floor.

"….And?" Mirana urged the waitress to continue.

"He's old. And he doesn't take no for an answer." Shendel looked up in thought. "…and, I guess that's it."

"Nothing more?"

"I don't hang out with him, Mirana."

"I know. You hardly hang out with anyone." Mirana wrapped her arm around Shendel's. "Let's go out somewhere tonight. It'll be fun."

Shendel looked hesitant. "I don't know…."

"Don't worry. Lanaya and her friend said they're going to this old-school tavern down the street. The four of us can go in my car."

"Mortred and Luna aren't coming?" Shendel asked.

"No. Luna wants to get back to her apartment early, and Mortred can't get into Luna's apartment past midnight."

Shendel was confused. "Why?"

Mirana shrugged "Mortred doesn't have a key, and Luna's a pretty heavy sleeper."

Shendel giggled, and looked away from Mirana's gaze, before giving a small nod.

Mirana gave a bright smile, briefly hugging the waitress. "Yay, we'll have fun!"

And so, as the day came to a close, with Mirana locking Dark Moon up, they made their way towards Mirana's car.

"Are you sure it's alright?" the young blonde asked, still uncomfortable with the manager taking them in her car.

Mirana just waved it off. "Don't worry about it. I'm a nice person, I'm sure Lanaya told you that."

The part-timer eyed Luna as she got on her bike, the baker coming to get behind her. "Are you sure you don't want to come along?"

Mortred shook her head. "I'd love to, Lanaya, but Luna won't be available at night."

Luna chuckled at Mortred's statement. "Night time is my time." She turned to Lanaya. "Don't be back late."

The part-timer laughed through her mask. "Yes, _mom_."

The group shared a laugh before they went their respective paths.

The place they were heading to was indeed just down the street, also a relatively quiet establishment. Mirana hasn't been there before, and was genuinely curious as to what it was like. Parking her car in front of the tavern, they all stood outside, looking up at the sign.

"_The Panda's Brew_?" Shendel asked rhetorically.

"Where did you hear about this place?" Lanaya asked her friend.

"Jah'rakal, actually. He told me that there was something about this place that I'd like."

"What if he was trolling you, like _always_?" Rylai sighed.

"That thought did come to mind, but Lina told me to trust him."

Mirana, standing behind them all, wrapped her arms around them. "Alright, stop chitchatting and let's check what this place is like." She said enthusiastically.

"You heard the manager." Shendel said, pushing the doors open.

The insides had decorations that hinted at an eastern influence, with not that many patrons inside it. It reminded the girls of the Dark Moon. Shendel even thought of it as a late night version of their coffee shop.

"Ah, customers!" they heard someone call out. Their gazes turned to a tubby looking man behind the counter.

He wore a white and red vest, his dark skin as his face hinting on mixed blood. He had short brown hair, with long sideburns, moustache and a braided beard. He held his left arm high as he wiped the counter with his other arm.

"Welcome, to the Panda's Brew! Home to handmade beverages of any kind." A hiccup accented his little speech to them.

"Hi! We're just looking for a quick drink." Rylai said as they sat on the bar stools.

"Can you serve us in that state of yours?" Shendel asked, earning a jovial laugh from the tubby man.

"Just a little tipsy." He said, another hiccup making Rylai and Mirana giggle.

"What do you have here?" Lanaya asked.

"Brews of different kinds. All made by me. Here's a list of the non-alcoholic drinks." He handed Rylai and Lanaya separate menus.

Rylai looked confused "How'd you know?"

"You two look really young." he said, laughing all the while. He laughed harder when Shendel and Mirana grimaced.

"Don't worry," Lanaya put a hand on Mirana's shoulder. "You two still look beautiful."

"Thanks, Lanaya." Mirana answered sarcastically, as the younger women giggled.

"So, see anything you like?"

As the group read the menu, they realized one thing; that the menu simply read out the ingredients of what the owner of the tavern had put in in creating the drinks.

Shendel was the one who drew attention to it. "No fancy names?"

He shook his head. "I'm no good with names."

"Really? Then what do we call you?" Lanaya asked.

"You, can call me…." The man became quiet.

"What?"

"The Brewmaster!"

The four looked at each other as he said that, having their own thoughts regarding his own title.

"That sounds…." Mirana paused, still thinking of a better word. "Catchy." The other three nodded.

The man shrugged at their lackluster response. "I told you. I'm no good with names." He finished the sentence with another hiccup. "Now seriously, what can I get you?"

As they slowly looked through what the Brewmaster had for them, wondering what to order, they were jostled out of their trance when they heard the door being slammed open. They heard heavy footsteps matching towards the Brewmaster's counter.

"Oi, Mangix!" the sound of an angry man called out, taking a stool next to the women.

The man was topless, his body showing scars of any kind while wearing a pair of dark brown pants. He stood in an almost hunched position. He had blond spiky hair, with a scar going across his face diagonally and an eye patch on his right eye.

"You told me the drink wouldn't make me feel pain in the morning, but it still got through!" he protested.

The Brewmaster shrugged. "That's the best I got, Riggy. "It's not my fault you go on brawling all night long."

"Me giving a good scrap has nothing to do with this." The man slammed the counter. "I know you have something stronger."

The Brewmaster shook his head. "The best brews aren't for public tastes."

"Oi, you don't want me to start a scuffle here, do ya?" the hunched man threatened the Brewmaster, but he only responded with his jovial laugh.

"You think you can take me on?" the Brewmaster stood up, surprising the women as they thought he was already standing. He towered over them, and his tubby appearance would've made him look intimidating if it weren't for his grin.

"I can try."

"What is this? A fist fight without me?" they heard another voice behind them. Lanaya saw Rylai's face lit up.

"Don't mess with things not involving you, snowball." The women turned around to see the new man that had came in.

"Ah, welcome again…" the Brewmaster was cut off by Rylai.

"Ymir!" she called out, running straight to the man, giving him a big hug.

The man looked pleasantly surprised at Rylai's presence. The large man wore a blue furry vest with a red scarf, a grey boxing glove on his left hand. His skin was pale, and his pale blond hair stood out. With blue eyes, and a smile that showed his cracked teeth, he hugged Rylai back, squeezing the air out of her lungs, picking her up in the process.

"Rylai! Good to see you, little one!" he said as both he and Rylai falling into a giggle-fit.

"I didn't know you were here. Why didn't you call?"

"I was busy, Rylai. Dealing with hoodlums thinking they can push me around. Like mister hunchback there."

The short man got off his stool. "Oi, what did you call me?"

"Hunchback. As a favor for allowing you to call me snowball."

"Who said you were allowed to call me anything."

"I did." The pale man had set Rylai down and approached the shorter man.

The short, angry man then gave an uppercut to Rylai's friend, but it barely staggered him. He just scratched his chin with his right hand, before smiling in glee.

"Alright. A bar fight you want, then a bar fight you get." He said, responding the shorter man's invitation with a jab from his gloved hand.

Their brawl had shaken up the rest of the patrons, who had scattered about and cheered them on. Rylai joined the other three back at their stools, silently watching both men beat each other up. Lanaya turned to her friend.

"Who is he?"

"He's the guy I told you about. The one I stayed with when my parents sent me north." Rylai answered.

"Will he be alright?" Mirana asked with genuine concern in her voice.

"He'll be fine. He's always loved fistfights. It was really cool seeing him fight back in the north."

"How about that short man, do you think he'll be fine?"

"Oh, Riggy's stronger than he looks." The Brewmaster said behind them, while handing Shendel a drink. "He can take a truck punching him on the nose."

The three of them turned to Shendel as she started tasting the drink she had ordered, a small impressed smile on her face. It took her a moment to realize that all eyes were on her.

"What?"

"You ordered without us?" Mirana asked, sounding hurt.

"You girls were too busy with a bunch of men throwing testosterone at each other."

They all laughed, and proceeded with ordering their own drinks and watching the brawl continue on.

_It's going to be a long night._ they thought, glad in finding a new place to hang out once in a while.


	13. Morning Anomoly

**Morning Anomoly**

Something was wrong.

Luna could feel it when she was woken up by Nova's nibbling. It wasn't the rainy morning outside that prevented her from feeling the early morning radiance. She looked around the room, searching for clues as to why she's feeling so anxious, yet she found none. The only other thing that stood out for her was Nova. Finding nothing at all, she put her thoughts aside, put her shirt on and went out of her room, with Nova in her arms.

And then she found what was wrong when she entered the living room.

Morted was already awake, curled up in a blanket and watching the morning shows. A nervous laugh escaped her lips when Luna's gaze fell on the anomalies in the room. Beside her sides were Mirana and Shendel, still asleep from their late night adventure, their appearance looking disheveled.

"Hey, Luna." Mortred greeted, hands clasped in apology. Luna's eyebrow twitched at the scene in front of her.

"Why are there other people in my apartment?" She asked her temporary roommate.

"Come on, you let Lanaya and me in."

"Lanaya's a neighbor. And I didn't want to let you in, remember?" Luna sighed before making her way to her kitchen. "You didn't answer my question."

"Alright…" Mortred made her way to stand beside Luna, taking Nova from her hands. "Lanaya and her friend were the ones that brought them here."

Luna then fully faced Mortred, with her hands on her hips providing an intimidating posture. Mortred cowered slightly.

"And you let them in? You know very well by now that I don't like having anyone else inside my home."

Mortred put her hand on Luna's shoulder. "Calm down, Luna. Just this once. They were too far gone to get anywhere anyway."

With a sigh, Luna relented. "Fine. Wake 'em up."

Mortred went back to the sofa where the two women were still resting. She pondered on how to approach this task that Luna had bestowed upon her, before settling with putting Nova on Mirana's face, leaving the purple kitten licking the sleeping manager's face. She turned her attention on Shendel, and brought her hands on her friend's cheeks, squishing Shendel's face. When Shendel's red eyes fluttered open, Mortred smiled at her effort succeeding.

"Mortred?" she got Mortred's hands off of her face, stretching out her body with a hand covering her yawn.

"_Réveillez-vous_, Shendel. Time to wake up."

"Ugh, where am I?" she asked groggily.

"You don't remember?" Shendel shook her head. "You're in Luna's place."

Shendel's eyes widened. "What? How?"

Mortred shrugged, a smirk on her face at her friend's distress. "Don't know. You and Mirana were hammered, and Lanaya and her friend had to bring you two somewhere."

"Oh no..." Her hand met her forehead, the light hangover starting to kick in for her. "Where's Luna?"

"Right here." The older woman said as she approached the living room with a tray of assorted drinks.

"Sorry, for dropping by…" Shendel took the glass of water, downing the whole cup in an instant.

"You two must've had one hell of a night. Did Lanaya and her friend drink any alcohol too?"

Shendel slowly shook her head. "No. The Brewmaster didn't give them any alcohol."

"_Brewmaster_?" Mortred asked.

"Yes, that's what he called himself. He was saying that they looked young, unlike us." Both Luna and Mortred laughed, making the waitress feel insecure. "It wasn't that funny."

"Sure is to me." Luna said.

"Don't worry, you two still look beautiful." Mortred assured her friend.

"_Sure_." She turned to face Mirana, with Nova still licking the sleeping manager's face. "She sure sleeps like a rock."

Luna approached Mirana, closing the gap between their faces. She took a lungful of air, and shouted. "**WAKEUP**!"

Mirana was shaken out of her slumber, almost tumbling down and dropping Nova. Mortred flinched at Luna's sudden outburst as Shendel covered her ears, Luna's shout almost shattering her sensitive eardrums.

"Luna, please, not so loud." She pleaded, grimacing when Luna chuckled.

"I can't have two people wasted in my apartment. Now wake up _Princess_!"

"I'm up. I'm up." Mirana got up, taking Nova off of her face, wiping her face. Her vision was still blurry, but she differentiate the people in front of her, thanks to the clashing color of their hair. "Oh, Luna. Why?"

A smirk laid on the older woman's face. "Why not?" she gave Mirana a glass of water, which she took.

"Now, let's all get prepared." Mortred said, dragging the two shaken visitors.

"For what?" Shendel asked as they moved to Luna's dining table. The four of them taking up the whole table, almost struggling for space. Then they heard a knock on the door.

"For that." Luna stood up, walking towards the door to open their usual Sunday guest.

"Good morning guys." Lanaya greeted them, carrying her usual groceries.

"Lanaya?" Mirana was surprised, although Shendel rolled her eyes.

"Why am I even surprised." She said, still clutching the side of her head.

"You brought more than usual?" Luna asked, the young part-timer smiling behind the face mask.

"Mhm." She nodded. She then turned to face the two guests. "You're welcome, by the way."

"You didn't take us anywhere else?" Mirana asked as her hangover started receding.

"I didn't know where you guys lived. And we're not allowed stay over guests in the dorm." Lanaya answered.

"But Luna doesn't like guests." Lanaya nodded.

"I know. Good thing Mortred was awake. Otherwise you'd be sleeping in your car."

"I think the car would've been better." Mortred laughed as Shendel nodded in agreement. Luna frowned at Mirana's direction.

"Alright you guys. Time for breakfast."

Lanaya went straight to Luna's stove, laying out the groceries on Luna's kitchen counter. The four older women situated themselves, silently waiting for their young friend. Mirana eyed Luna suspiciously through it all.

"Why is Lanaya cooking breakfast for you?" she asked.

"She's been doing it every Sunday for the past few weeks." Mirana's brows furrowed.

"Did you ask her to do it for you?"

"No, I volunteered." Mirana was dubious of the thought that the part-timer did this on her own volition.

"Really?" Lanaya nodded.

"All Luna had was instant food. They're not really healthy, so I figured, "why not help Luna eat healthier?" you know?"

Mirana sighed at the implication, still staring at Luna's sheepish expression. Mortred and Shendel giggled at the dynamic between their manager and the barista, seeing the rare instances of the barista not acting hostile towards her younger superior. It really was a nice switch from Luna's usual tough exterior.

Lanaya had opted to create something simple for the surprise group, starting with a big serving of scrambled eggs with rice that she had prepared beforehand. Steamed peas and corn kernels on the side with a helping of gravy. Thinking back on it, she realized it ended up not being so simple as she had planned. _Oh well…_

"I can't believe you have you own personal chef, Luna." Mirana said as she tasted Lanaya's cooking.

"You're one to talk, _your highness_." Luna countered. The other three have always wondered about Luna's nickname for Mirana.

"Alright. What's up with that nickname?" Shendel asked for the others.

"It's because…" Luna was cut off.

"Nothing. It's because of nothing. Don't think about it." This was an odd turn.

Mirana wasn't usually the type who looked like she had secrets.

"Looks like everyone here has their secret." Lanaya said offhandedly, earning a giggle from the others.

"Well, not anymore." Mortred said, hinting at how everyone already knows of her and Luna's past.

"I'm betting everyone's dark secrets will be known to the rest by the end of the year." Luna said, earning the odd looks of her guests.

"Really? How sure are you?" Mirana asked, curious as to why Luna had said such a thing.

"Alright, not the end of the year. Maybe, I don't know. Around Frostivus?"

"Now you're really just pushing it." Shendel said uncomfortably.

"Don't worry. If it's anything like Mortred's or mine, then I'm sure it's not that big of a deal."

Mirana was flabbergasted. "Wow, you've sure grown up, Luna."

"Being older than all of you helps."

"Oh, so you've accepted that you're old?" Mirana said, taking a dig at Luna, but the older woman merely smirked.

"Sure. Better than how you two handled it." Luna and Mortred laughed, seeing the other two becoming insecure.

Lanaya put her hands of their shoulders. "Don't worry. You two are…"

"Yeah, we get it." They cut her off.

"Alright, enough of this. Eat your breakfasts so you two can leave my apartment."

"Aw, can't we stay a bit longer?" Mirana pleaded, relishing her time in Luna's home.

"Yeah, we can do group stuff together." Mortred said, rallying up Lanaya and Shendel to gang up on Luna.

"No, please. I don't like having people over." This time it was Luna who pleaded, realizing that she was slowly succumbing to peer pressure.

"Come on, Luna. It'll be fine." Lanaya said, convincing the barista.

With a sigh, Luna relented. "Fine."

"Yes!" Mirana stood up and ran towards Luna's side, giving her a tight hug. "The five of us are going to have so much fun!"

Luna was regretting it already.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

sorry for the almost late update guys. had a power outage, then when it came back on, the internet was still off.

hope you like this small scale chapter!


	14. Compare and Contrast

**Compare and Contrast**

Rain had befallen the city for the past few days, coating the land with a grey sky of unending torrent. Outside activities have ceased for the time being, as people took shelter beneath the surrounding buildings. A university van splashes through the rain, slowing down as it neared the Dark Moon before stopping completely in the available parking spaces.

A young man in a purple robe exited the vehicle, moving to the other side and opening the passenger door as well, helping out an older man in a red robe and a cane. The young man, a college student and part-time librarian, wore glasses over his blue eyes, his robe stopping short on his knees, his blue jeans showing underneath. The older man's red robe had a hood, signifying his role as the head librarian and Chief Curator for the university's archives, with his yellow eyes piercing through the shade as he walked carefully, entering the coffee shop.

"Ah, a fine establishment after a long day." The older man quipped, taking a seat in an empty table.

"Why did we have to head towards their place, just to get the books?" the college student asked.

"It's because they did not have any sort of way to hand us the books, Nortrom. Yet they were willing to donate their whole collection to us. We could not let that opportunity slip by." Nortrom looked down, still tired by their trek.

"It's just… It was so much effort though, for a bunch of books." The older man shook his head.

"Nortrom. Books are the engines of change, the window to the world. They are more important than you think."

"Yes, mister Lannik." Nortrom said with a sigh.

Soon a waitress appeared, wearing a purple face mask. "Good afternoon, mister Lannik. Is there anything I can get you?"

The old librarian beamed up. "Ah, Lanaya. Is this where you work?" Lanaya nodded. "I was wondering where my library's favored occupant disappeared off to."

"I needed to get some work experience. And I don't think I'd be a good librarian, like Nortrom here." Lanaya nudged the purple clad student.

"Yes, but he doesn't share your enthusiasm for books." Lannik shook his head.

"Don't worry, mister Lannik. He'll grow into it. Now, is there anything I can get for you, sir?"

"I'll have white tea, please." Lanaya turned to face Nortrom.

"Uh, I don't know." Nortrom scratched his head. "I'll get back to you."

"Okay." Lanaya made her way to the barista.

The librarian started laughing as Lanaya left, confusing Nortrom. "See? She understands books."

Nortrom shrugs. "I guess I'm just not as curious as her."

"You should try, then. Just because you can quiet down my library doesn't make you a good librarian."

Nortrom sighs. "Yes, mister Lannik."

Nortrom stood up and explored the coffee shop, walking around the room. He ended up at the barista's counter, seeing Lanaya waiting for the tea to be brewed. She turned to face him when she felt his presence, smiling behind the mask that always hides most of her face. Nortrom tilted his head, he himself curious as to what she's been doing since she stopped hanging out in the library.

"When did you stark working here?" he asked.

Lanaya looked up in thought. "Hm. Maybe a month or two ago? It's been a while."

"I can tell." His eyes began wondering the coffee shop again. "There's a T.V. here?"

"Oh that. We just had it installed this morning." Lanaya took the white tea that had been brewed, heading towards the Chief Curator's table.

Nortrom turned around, and was startled when he came face to face with the barista. Her presence somehow intimidated him as she sized him up.

"What do you want?" she asked. Nortrom gulped.

"Uhm…" He was still struggling finding an answer. "I don't know."

The barista rolled her eyes before giving Nortrom a glass of water. She then sat at her stool and watched the news that was being broadcasted. Lanaya reappeared before Nortrom could take a sip of his water., leaning on the counter, closing the distance between her and the barista.

"Luna," she started. "did you ask for the T.V.?"

The barista shook her head. "No, that was Mirana's idea."

"Where is she, anyway?" Lanaya stood back up, looking around.

"She had to do some business stuff with Selemene."

"Ah." Lanaya locked eyes with the part-time librarian. "So, Nortrom. What brings you and msiter Lannik here?"

"We had to go to the other side of the city." He answered. "A bunch of people wanted to donate some books."

"You seem none too pleased." Nortrom scoffed.

"You wouldn't believe it."

Lanaya brought a hand to Nortrom's back, before slowly pushing him towards the chief curator's desk. "Go sit at your table." She said.

"Is that a rule?"

"It's my rule." She said as she ushered him along, before continuing her day.

The day went on without a hitch, just like any other day, with only the torrential downpour being the huge difference, changing the overall mood of the patrons inside the coffee shop. As the day got darker, and the amount of patrons receding, the found the place almost to themselves. Mirana had appeared not too long after dusk, arriving alone.

The clock was about to hit 10pm when another patron walked in. An old looking man wearing a light blue shirt with leather straps going across his chest, attached to a golden guard piece on his left shoulder, with red pants. His white hair had receded from the front, with sideburns and a beard complimenting it. A few scars were on his face as his yellow eyes stood out in the dark. He carried a an elegant, beautiful red spear behind him.

"I'm sorry sir, we're about to close." Shendel said as she swept the floor.

"Oh, pardon me. I just wanted to have one drink." The man said, standing at the door.

Shendel turned to Luna, waiting for the older woman's decision. Luna just shrugged. "What can I get you?" she asked, motioning the stool in front of her for him.

"Can I get, an Affogato?"

Luna stopped, her hand covering her mouth as she looked up. "I wonder if we still have some ice cream…"

"We do." Mortred said, appearing near them and sitting beside the old man.

"Where?"

"In the kitchen." She pointed.

Shendel moved first. "I'll get it."

Mortred looked at the old man. "What brings you here, this late?"

The old man chuckled. "I guess I just wanted to taste these types of drinks."

"You're not from here?" Luna asked.

The man shook his head. "I'm from the small, quiet town of Pole."

Mortred grimaced. "That town's not faring well, I heard." The man nodded a response.

"We do indeed have some troubles."

"What troubles?" Mirana said as she approached the three, with Lanaya behind her.

"Pole." Luna said, with revelation coming to Mirana's thought while Lanaya stood confused.

"What's going on with Pole?" she asked.

"It's been under heavy exploitation." The old man said, his hand scratching his spear.

"_Oui_, by the Dread Vorn Corp." Mortred added.

"Oh, that. Weren't there many trials against them?" she asked again.

"Yes, but there wasn't sufficient evidence." Shendel said, arriving with the ice cream.

"Because of that, they've been able to get away with a **lot** of things." Luna said while she made the man's drink.

The man chuckled again. "It's a good thing it's about to end."

That earned the confused stares of the others. "What do you mean?" Mirana asked.

"Something." He said.

Lanaya knew that the man wasn't going to answer, and decided to change the subject. "Is that a spear?" she asked.

"Yes. Used for spear fishing."

"You're a fisherman?"

"Of course. Nothing beats fishing up dinner for your family." The old man then held up his spear.

"I've always wanted to know how to fish." Mortred said offhandedly.

"Then you can have it." The man said, handing her the spear.

"What? No, I can't…"

"It's fine. I no longer have need of it."

"But then how would you fish?"

"I told you. I no longer have need of it. My time is done."

The women started feeling uncomfortable by the man's words. It was slightly dissipated when Luna had given the man his 'drink.' The man's face lit up with a soft smile.

"Do I need to stay too?" they heard behind them.

"No, Sylla. We got this." Mirana answered, allowing their custodian to leave earlier than them.

"How is it." Luna asked, seeing the man eat the ice cream topped up with espresso.

"Wonderful." He said with a genuine smile. Luna blushed, not hearing that many compliments for her drinks.

"Why are you here, anyway? Pole's not that close to here." Mirana asked.

"We put an end to the Dread Vorn Corp." he said, slowly consuming his beverage.

"Put an end? Is that why you came here?" Lanaya asked.

"So this is supposed to be your last drink?" Mortred added. The man chuckled again.

"I think I'm too late for a last drink." He said cryptically, making the others uncomfortable again.

They had settled with just watching him finish the beverage, making idle conversation with him, asking questions about the small town of Pole and its denizens. Mortred had asked a few questions regarding spear fishing, to which the old man answered with enthusiasm. They were so caught up with the flow that they had stayed an hour longer than they anticipated.

The man stood up, carefully handing Luna the empty cup.

"Thank you, ladies, for your company. And for the wonderful drink." He said, turning to face Mortred. "Take care of that spear."

"I will." Mortred said, clutching the gift that she had gotten.

"What's your name, sir?" Lanaya asked.

The man turned around one last time. "My name is Azwraith."

"Good luck, Azwraith." Shendel said, opening the door for him.

He smiled at all of them, one by one. "I no longer need luck." He said, before leaving the coffee shop.

The five women stood, staring at each other, unsure at what had just happened. They then cleaned up the small mess before heading their separate ways.

The next day started off with a better atmosphere as the sun shone through the grey clouds. Lanaya had arrived early, having no morning classes, enjoying the quiet early time before people started arriving. Mirana stood in front of the cash register, counting the change for the day. Luna was sipping watching the T.V. as Shendel sat quietly with her eyes closed. Mortred had exited the kitchen, intent on heading to the restroom, before glimpsing at the T.V. Her eyes caught something, moving to Luna's side.

"Turn it up!" she said, startling the barista, who complied. Mortred's sudden appearance had also drawn the attention of the others.

A reporter stood straight, wearing an obsidian-colored suit with a teal colored tie that matched his eyes. His teeth were sharp when he opened his mouth.

"_This is Harbinger, at the location of last night's attack at the Dread Vorn Corp. Headquarters. The City Guards have already arrived earlier this morning in what's left of the building._"

The man moved deeper into the scene until one of the City Guards appeared on screen.

"_We have Guard Captain Slithice here to explain the situation._" He said, moving the mic towards a startled Slithice.

"_Ahem._" Slithice straightened herself. "_Last night, at about 8pm, the citizens of Pole had launched a surprise attack at the Dread Vorn Corp., using numbers against the security forces. They had lost a lot of people, but still managed to cripple the security as the breached deeper into the building._"

Slithice glanced at the ruins. "_From what we had gathered, only a select few had continued on, until only one person ventured to Vorn's office at the top floor, facing the man himself. We had questioned the surviving citizens of Pole about this man._"

"_Do you mind we ask a few questions ourselves?_" Harbinger asked.

"_Not at all._" Slithice brought the reporter to one of the healing survivors.

The survivor in question stood up upon seeing the reporter, no doubt eager to tell his story.

"_Excue me, sir. Can you please tell us what happened last night?_"

"_What happened? We put an end to a tyrant!_" he proclaimed proudly. "_Vorn had been exploiting the town of Pole for decades, but we couldn't do anything to stop it conventionally. So we decided to take matters into our own hands._"

The man looked at the ruins. "_We were not soldiers. We only had volunteers. Small time police officers, teachers, salesmen. And a fisherman._" The man started laughing. "_That fisherman just brought a spear, yet he was the tip of the lance that led to our victory!_" he said, fist pumping the air.

"_We do not care that we have to possibly face time. All that matters is that the Dread Vorn Corp. is dead and gone!_" he said, a loud cheering followed behind him and by the random civilians nearby the area.

"_Can you tell me about this fisherman?_" Harbinger asked.

"_Our hero._" The man looked up. "_He led our charge. He took most of the hits. Until it was only him, heading up to Vorn's office, with nothing but his fishing spear._" The man looked down, almost in grief. "_We do not know what else happened,_" he then faced the camera with burning determination. "_but whatever he dead, not only killed Vorn, but had made him a martyr to us!_" He turned to face his fellow Polians. "_This is to Azwraith, the Rising Blade of our Lance!_" the crowd cheered once again.

Harbinger brought the mic to Slithice again. She took a moment before talking. "_There's no doubt that these people have to be sentenced Vorn's death, but I don't think anybody minds._" she said, laughing all the while.

Harbinger then faced the camera again. "_There you have it, viewers. Direct news at the location. This is Harbinger of the Outer Rim News, reporting for duty, and wishing you all a wonderful morning._"

The segment ended, before heading back to the studio, but whatever it was fell on deaf ears as the 5 women stood stunned. They faced each other. Lanaya continued staring at the T.V. as Mortred stood with her mouth hanging open. Mirana felt unending shivers down her spine. Shendel merely stared in space.

"Wow." Luna said, summing up with everyone else was feeling.

"When did they say that happen?" Mirana asked.

Shendel turned to face the manager "Last night."

Mirana groaned. "I know that! What time?"

Lanaya gulped, swallowing the breath that she didn't know she was holding. "8pm."

"And when did he arrive here?"

"At almost 10pm, we were about to close up." Luna answered. She sat down, feeling exhausted already.

"Where's the spear?" Shendel asked Mortred, waking the baker from her stupor.

"I, uh…" Mortred shook her head violently. "I left it in the kitchen. I couldn't take it back yet, since my apartment's not ready yet."

"Get it." Luna said.

Mortred dashed her way into the kitchen, but did not appear again for a few minutes. When she did, she looked ashen-faced.

"What's wrong?" Lanaya asked.

Mortred then showed them the spear. The once elegant red spear was now charred, with golden cracks appearing around the hilt.

Mirana felt her knees weaken but was caught by Shendel. Lanaya stared at the spear, eyes wide as a dear in headlights. Luna chuckled, her response drastically different from the others.

"So that's what he meant." Luna said to no one.

"Meant what?" Mirana asked, sitting on a nearby stool.

Luna looked at them. "He said 'I no longer need luck.' Because he already done it."

"Wow. A real Phantom." Mortred said in awe.

"There must be an explanation." Lanaya tried to counter, even though she wasn't fully confident herself.

Shendel smiled. "I guess there are some things that we just can't understand."

"Where's Sylla?" Luna asked.

"He's not here yet." Mirana answered. "Why?"

Luna grinned, but it changed to a softer smile. "We have something to put up on the wall."

Later that day, the spear of the Phantom stood on the wall, above Luna's station, fully visible by people who walk in.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

well, another conflict. although unlike the first one, the 5 experienced it third hand.

such a shame. PL's one of my fav heroes. it'll be a very long time till he appears again.

well, hope you guys enjoyed it!


	15. The three Doctors

**The three Doctors**

The news paper is something that Luna hasn't been reading up in the past few days, ever since the Dark Moon had a new T.V. installed. Watching it was nice and al, but she missed holding the piece of paper when she had time to waste. Which is why she was content in catching up with the day's paper on recent happenings. Mirana, not having the same interests as her older colleague, stood next to her, peering over if something caught her eye.

So far nothing yet. And she was getting bored.

"Why do you like reading the news paper anyway? You never did, a few years ago." Mirana asked, exasperatedly.

"I don't know. Simpler than using my phone, I guess." Luna turned a page.

"Tell me something." Luna glanced at the young manager.

"Tell you what?" she asked.

"Anything, from the paper." Mirana stood her ground.

"Don't you have any sort of managerial duties to attend to?" Mirana shook her head.

"Not at the moment. Come on. What's new with the world?" Luna was starting to feel annoyed, but humored Mirana either way.

"Fine. Here's something." Luna turned back a few pages. "_Aurel, the Retired War pilot, had successfully crafted his own flying contraption, managing to fly 2 kilometers from the roof of the retirement home before landing roughly on an empty field._"

"Oh, I heard about that. Poor old man." Luna bellowed a laugh. "Why are you laughing?"

"He's a springy old man. This is what he does to enjoy his golden years." Luna said, which only infuriated Mirana.

"What if he's hurt? And he's a war veteran. What if he's not adjusting to life outside war well?" Luna rolled her eyes, before putting her hand on Mirana's head, giving it a good scruff.

"It's not our problem, _Princess_. It's well beyond our control. And you can see here," Luna pointed to a picture beside the article. "See? He's beaming. He's fine."

Mirana was still frowning, more so from being treated like a little girl, by a woman not that much older than her.

"Fine. Tell me something else." The fact that she was acting uncharacteristically childish didn't help her matters.

"Alright." Luna turned to another page, before showing Mirana a different column. "_A Cardinal was sentenced to prison after being found guilty of poisoning his flock in each of his sermons._"

"Where did this happen?"

"I don't know." Luna shrugged. "Somewhere east."

While those two were preoccupied with the morning news paper, a patron had entered, heading towards a stool on Luna's counter. It was Lina, Rylai's older sister, still walking with a crutch as her leg was still encased with a brace. Wearing a red sundress with patterns of the sun, she carefully set herself on the stool. Movement at the edge of their vision had drawn the two women's attention.

"Oh, hey red." Luna greeted, used to seeing Lina with her sister.

"Lanaya's not here yet, she said she had something to do first." Mirana said.

Lina nodded. "I know."

"Not used to seeing you here without blondie." Luna commented, earning a nervous laugh from the young patron.

"Uh, yeah. Rylai's sick today."

"Then why don't you just go back to the dorms?" Mirana asked curiously.

"Oh, no. I'd rather wait for Lanaya." Both older women drew an eyebrow.

"You always go with someone. Why don't you ever go on your own?" Mirana asked again.

Lina was fidgeting uncomfortably. "Uh, yeah. I'd rather not talk about it."

Both women saw this, and used to people and their secrets, had dropped the subject.

"Do you want someone to take you back? Mirana has a car." Luna offered.

"Yeah, it'll be fine." Lina shook her head.

"Thanks, but I'd rather wait for Lanaya. Besides, I don't want to waste your time."

They both relented on their offer, and decided to find something else to do. Luna went to the coffee machine. "What can I get you?"

"Surprise me." Lina said, going back to a more cheery attitude.

Another group of people had entered during the small debacle, all wearing white coats. One of them walked with a hunch, using a tall stick. He was wearing a purple shirt underneath his coat, with his hair in the style of dreadlocks. Another one had his coat in an extravagant pattern, colored in shades of pink and purple. He also wore a plain white dress shirt. The last one was wearing a black balaclava, with another green thing layer underneath it, adorned with a few bandages around his head as well. He was constantly twitching.

Luna had no clue who the other two were, but she has seen the twitching man before. The son of Aghanim, renowned scientist, doctor and inventor. She has heard that the son was also a prodigy, adept in many fields, but she's never seen him in person before. Judging by the white coats, she guessed that they were either doctors or scientists themselves.

It was at this moment that Lanaya had barged into the coffee shop, worn and out of breath as she approached Luna, not yet noticing her friend nearby.

"Hey, Luna." She greeted between breaths. "Sorry, I'm late."

"Hey. Your friend's here." Luna pointed at Lina. Lanaya's eyes widened seeing the older sister.

"Lina? What?"

"You were busy, and Rylai's sick. So I'm waiting." Lanaya was still a little shocked.

"But, it's going to, take a while." Lina brushed it off.

"I can wait. Go work." Lina said.

"And go to that table." Luna pointed at the table of doctors.

Lanaya squinted her eyes, to get a better look. "Is that?..." but she was pushed by Luna straight to the break room.

Lina turned around to see what Luna was pointing at, but turned back immediately. Drinking her beverage to not be noticed by the new patrons. Although curious as to why she was acting like this, Luna did not ponder on the subject.

Lanaya later appeared, wearing her apron but still looking slightly disheveled. She went to the table anyway.

"Good afternoon, doctors. What can I get you?"

The three looked up at her with different expressions. The first man began scratching his chin, but he looked like he wasn't particularly 'with' them, as of the moment. The other man looked at her with judgmental eyes, and she could feel his condescending gaze eyeing her up. The last man, the one she recognized, tilted his head, almost staring into her soul.

"Black Coffee for de doctor!" the first doctor ordered, pointing to himself. The blond arrogant looking doctor scoffed.

"You and that disgusting drink." The dreadlocked doctor started laughing.

"Chill out, mon." he said, his accent distinct from the others. "Dis won't hurt you one bit!"

The blond doctor shook his head. "Get me white tea, the purest of them all."

All heads turned to the last one, his head still tilted. It looked like he had fallen asleep.

"Uhm, Doctor Rubick?" The man perked up when he heard Lanaya calm him by his name. "What would you like to order?"

With what looked like a smile behind his mask, he ordered. "Surprise me, dear." He said, drawing out the 'r's.

Lanaya walked briskly to Luna and Lina, giving Luna the orders before heading towards the rest room. Luna was confused by the part-timer's behavior, even more so by her friend's laughter.

"Is there something I'm missing?" Luna asked.

"Lanaya's a fan of Doctor Rubick."

"What about you?" Luna asked, earning a relenting sigh from the redhead.

"He's an okay guy. But that blond is a total douchebag." Luna laughed.

"Really?" she asked sarcastically.

"Yeah. Fuck that bitch Carl." The both of them laughed heartily at Lina's insults as Luna made the doctor's drinks.

"What about the last doctor?" Luna asked. She heard Lina sigh sadly behind her.

"Doctor Zharvakko. He was my doctor. He specialized on traditional medicine and techniques."

Luna turned to face the redhead, looking down at her drink as she put the doctor's orders on a tray. Lanaya soon appeared again, having given her face a brief splash of water.

"Do I look okay?" She asked the two in front of her.

"You know, Lanaya, he's really **way** older than us." Lina said suggestively, prompting her friend to blush in embarrassment.

"I'm not trying to seduce him! I'm not that type of person!" she countered, only getting laughed.

Luna calmed herself down before addressing the part-timer. "You look fine."

With the small encouragement from the barista, Lanaya took the drinks to the doctors. They all took their own drinks, but stood up abruptly.

"Alright, we don't have much time left." The blond doctor said. "Let's get back."

As the other two followed him, Lanaya felt her window of opportunity slipping away, and in a surge of panic, she called him out.

"Excuse me, Doctor Rubick?" the masked doctor turned around. "May I, uhm…. Ask you a few questions?"

She could not see his expression, but she could've sworn his lips curled into a smirk, before he turned to face his fellow doctors.

"I'll catch up with you two." He said. The other two complied, leaving him in the coffee shop.

He then sat back at the table, lifting his mask to reveal his mouth. Lanaya saw some marks and scratches on it. He took a sip of the surprise drink that Luna had made him, before letting out a satisfied sigh. He looked up at Lanaya, who was still standing.

"Well? Sit down." He said, gesturing to the empty seats, chuckling when he saw Lanaya scramble onto them.

Lanaya had calmed down, and prepared herself for a long night. "Doctor Rubick, I'd like to know…."

The barista simply laughed, seeing the part-timer acting like a little girl with a crush.

_What an interesting turn of events._ she thought, as she made Lina another drink.


	16. Night at the Radiant Side

**Night at the Radiant Side**

The Radiant Dorms were quiet, unusual as it was usually filled with the bustling noise of the college students that inhabited it. It almost unnerved Rylai, who had been sick all day and still dressed in her sleep attire, as she ate a bowl of chicken soup in the common rooms. The T.V. was on, yet she paid no attention to it, focused on the bowl in her hand as she sat surrounded by a pile of blankets.

"Hey Snowflake, where's everybody else?" she heard a certain, **ever-so loving** person asked her as he entered the area.

Rylai tried to clear her throat. "I don't know, Jah'rakal." She said through course voice. "I was in my room all day."

The renowned troll chuckled. "What happened to **you**?"

"I don't know." She said, groaning. "Please, I'm tired of people asking me that."

"Oh, really?" Jah'rakal approached Rylai, sitting beside her and putting an arm around her shoulder. "What, you don't like people showing that they care?"

"It's not that." She tried pushing him away.

He persisted, grinning like a madman. "But all of us **care**. Why won't you let us is?" he was starting to get on her nerves as he stood up and moved behind the sofa.

"Please, I'm not in the mood."

"Oh, but I am." He said, with the most evil grin Rylai has ever seen.

"What are you doing?" she heard her sister's voice pipe in.

Rylai turned to see Lina and Lanaya enter the room. Lina, while leaning on her crutch, had a look of annoyance, seeing Jah'rakal mess with Rylai. Lanaya just rolled her eyes. Rylai noticed a bag of Dark Moon's delicious pastries. Her mouth was watering just from the thought of it.

"I'm just pissing your sister off, Lina." Jah'rakal answered, arms spread out in pride. "Why, you want me to stop?"

Lina sighed. "Like you would."

"Hell yeah! Like hell I would!" Jah'rakal let out a bellowing laugh the unnerved the three female students.

Lina moved to approach the sofa, sitting beside her sister, eager to rest her tired leg. Lanaya sat at Rylai's other side, putting the pastries on the coffee table in front of them. The trollish friend simply sat on the floor beside the table, peering inside the bag and taking a handful of anything he could get his hands on. Lina took a specific croissant from the pile, handing it to her sister.

"What's this?" she asked.

"I asked the baker if she could make something for you. Something to help get you better." Lina said, acting uncharacteristically bashful in front of the others.

"What's with you?!" Jah'rakal said, drawing attention to it. Lucky for Lina, Rylai and Lanaya didn't.

Rylai just turned to look at Lanaya. "She can do that?"

"Oh, there's nothing Mortred can't make. She's very talented." Lanaya said, taking Rylai's soup from her.

"She said "get well soon." she wouldn't want to miss her fans." Lina added, taking a bite out of her own bread.

"Tell her I said thanks." Rylai said, slowly eating the croissant.

"You can tell her yourself, you know." Lina said. "She's across the road."

"Maybe tomorrow."

"Why do they let you bring back a lot of these?" Jah'rakal asked.

"Mortred likes making extras. She gives the leftovers to us."

"huh, meh." He shrugged, turning to Lina. "So you can ordered your own bread from this baker?"

"Yeah, she was very willing." Lina squinted at Jah'rakal question. "Why?"

"Hehe, maybe I can get something."

"Well then, why don't you drop by the coffee shop?" Lanaya asked.

"Oh, no. Not ever again. That barista is a monster." He reasoned.

Lanaya shook her head at Jah'rakal 's attitude. "You know, she wouldn't like it if she heard you say that about her."

"Well, it's a good thing she won't ever know, now would she?!" he let out a bellowing laugh again.

Through his laughter, they did not notice their masked friend entering, carrying a wooden sword slung around his back, wearing a martial arts uniform. Behind his mask, he had a raised eyebrow for the scene in front of him, although not really confused at their resident troll laughing like a maniac. He slowly approached the group.

"Hey, Lanaya. You have a guest." He said, drawing the attention of the others.

"Hey, Yurnero, want some bread?" Rylai asked, handing their masked friend the treat.

"Who is it?" Lanaya asked.

"It's the barista. She said she needed to ask you something."

Jah'rakal's eyes widened, as the sisters smirked at his expression. Lanaya raised an eyebrow in surprised confusion, not used to having her neighbor come over. She stood up, but Jah'rakal grabbed her hand, stopping her from moving.

"What are you doing?" she asked, but Jah'rakal did not pay her any attention.

"Don't let her in!" he yelled to everyone in the room.

Yurnero chuckled. "Too late." He said, shrugging Jah'rakal's expressive response.

And true to his words, Luna appeared not too long after him in the common room. She wore a dark blue tank top, and short blue pants, a departure from her usual attire, showing off more leg than she was comfortable. She eyed the college students slowly, and smirked when she saw that annoying one she remembered cowering behind them.

"Hey Luna. What's up?" she asked.

"I need to ask you a favor." Luna said, but before Lanaya could ask why, Rylai drew everyone else's attention to something else.

"Is that a kitten?" Rylai questioned, and it was then that Lanaya realized that Luna had little Nova in her arms.

"What's wrong with Nova?" She asked, now curious to what was going on.

"Oh, nothing." Luna said. "There's some stuff going on in the building, and I need some place Nova can stay for the night." Luna approached the young part-timer, presenting an eager Nova. "Do you mind?"

"No, not at all!" Lanaya said, taking Nova from Luna's hands. "She'll be in great hands." Lanaya assured.

Luna smiled. "Thanks. I'll make it up to you someday." She got down a bit, to Nova's level. "Don't worry, I'll be back tomorrow morning, okay?" Nova meowed in response, getting a scratch on her neck by her significant figure.

Luna looked at Rylai, still curled up in a blanket. "Get better soon, Blondie. Your sister was really somber today."

"Luna!" Lina yelled, with Luna letting out a hearty laugh when she saw Rylai's concerned face.

She then faced Yurnero, who looked oddly intimidated by her. "Hey, Jugger, haven't seen you in a while lately." She said.

Then finally, she eyed Jah'rakal, glaring at the young man. "I have my eye on you." She said, before making her way outside.

"I'll be back tomorrow!" she said, waving to the college students as she left the building.

Rylai was still looking at Lina, who had averted her own gaze as her sister stared at her.

"Don't think too much about it." She said just as Rylai opened her mouth, prompting the younger sister to stay quiet.

Lanaya, sensing the awkward situation, sat back with Nova still in her hands. "Hey little Nova."

"Why is she named Nova?" Yurnero asked.

"I don't know, never really asked." She let Nova walk around the sofa, moving on top of Rylai's blankets, nibbling on the sick woman's hands.

"Aw, look how cute you are!" Rylai said, scratching Nova's fur with her other hand.

"Who knew a scary woman like her would have such a cute kitten." Lina said right beside her.

"Luna actually has such a soft core." Lanaya added, earning a scoff from Jah'rakal. "If you weren't such a troll, she wouldn't hate you so much."

"Yeah, I'm **sure**." he said sarcastically.

"So, anything happen at Dark Moon?" Rylai asked.

"Oh, Lanaya found her crush!" Lina said.

"No, Lina. That's not what happened!" Lanaya countered, although her reddening cheeks spoke otherwise.

"Oh, what happened?" Rylai prodded.

"She met the love of her life."

"That's not what happened!" Lanaya said, trying to stop the sisters from going off in their absurd gossips. "I just had a chat with a doctor."

"Which doctor?"

"Doctor Rubick. You know him, right?"

"Oh, that twitchy man, your doctor's friend?" Rylai asked for confirmation.

"Rubick? You have a crush on Rubick?" Yurnero asked disbelievingly.

"It's not a crush!" Lanaya said, still trying to fight.

Sadly for her, she was fighting a losing battle, even with herself, as her friends converged on a topic that they hardly ever could touch with her.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

well, i hardly ever responded to reviews from 'guests', mostly 'cause i don't really like adding A/Ns to the chapters. usually i reply through PMs.

so, probably next chapter, i'll answer any/all questions you guys may have! just shoot away! :D

and i hope you enjoyed this lighthearted chapter!


	17. Morning Spar

**Morning Spar**

Early morning shows were always lackluster during the weekdays. Usually, Mortred wouldn't feel so bored, since she would play with Nova. But because of some ordeal going on in the building, Luna had to let Nova stay at Lanaya's dorm. Mortred sighed. _Ennuyeux_, she thought, turning the T.V. off, before stretching and moving to Luna's fridge.

She could hear a quarrel brewing outside, Luna especially was loud. Whatever was happening, she did not want to be a part of it, as she got a glass of juice. Looking at Luna's fridge, she's almost surprised that Luna never had any sort alcohol in stock. All she could think of was Luna trying to be a changed woman, since she's sure that Luna would've drunk it during her time as the Scourge.

She wondered how much Luna had changed; she's never actually come across her during those years. She's heard stories in the night from her 'sisters' on how the _Scourge of the Plains_ would sow terror to them. She actually cowered in fear from the stories alone. Yet, now, Luna seems like the exact opposite. Slightly rough around the edges, with a soft core, enough for a kitten to sleep in.

She heard the door knob rattle, not yet opening as the rambling outside was getting louder. Not a moment too soon Luna came in, still taking part in the argument. The moment the door was closed, she leaned on the wall before slowly slumping down to the floor. Mortred approached her temporary roommate, handing a cup of juice that she always has prepared.

"Thanks, Mortred." Luna said, taking the glass. She took a small sip before placing it near her forehead.

"What's going on, anyway?" Luna shook her head.

"I still don't really know. There's been a huge divide between the tenants." She took another sip, slowly getting up off the floor.

"Do these people know who you were?" Luna let out a tired chuckled, almost as if she was without resistance.

"Only the landlord. And that's mostly because Selemene introduced us, so she broke the ice for us." Luna started laughing on her own, confusing Mortred. "He was really suspicious of me, never trusted me when I stepped into his building. It took a couple of years till he finally warmed up."

Mortred looked surprised. "How long have you been here?" she asked.

"Almost a decade." She said, downing the juice. She headed straight to her room. "Get changed. We're leaving."

"To where?"

"Heroes Lane."

_Heroes Lane_

Lina sat under the Protector's shade, having her legs spread out under the morning summer sun. Her cast had been temporarily taken off just for this pleasure. Beside her was Lanaya, silently reading a text book with the purple kitten on her lap. In front of them was Yurnero, practicing his martial arts by himself.

"You told Luna that we're here, right?" Lina asked.

"Yes. She'll be here shortly, with Mortred." Nova purred when Luna was brought up, prompting the two women to scratch her fur.

"Hey, Yurnero!" Lina called, stopping Yurnero from what he was doing. "Maybe you can challenge Luna to a fight or something."

"Oh, no." Lanaya said, discouraging the thought. "Don't underestimate Luna. Look what happened to Jah'rakal."

"Sure, but Yurnero knows how to fight." Lina said, but even Yurnero shook his head.

"I'd rather not fight, Lina. Especially with an intimidating woman."

"Why is everyone so afraid of her?" Lina asked disbelievingly, although even she was intimidated by the barista. She looked at Lanaya for confirmation. "What can she even do?"

Lanaya rolled her eyes at her friend's ignorance. "More than you know." She said, remembering how Luna went berserk at Mortred.

Yurnero went back to what he was doing as his two dorm mates went on bickering about the barista. He had his own thoughts about her. She was friendly enough when he came on his own after his training sessions, how she'd greet him and have his tea all readied up. But when he heard how she dealt with Jah'rakal's personality, he'd started thinking that there was something more behind her. Like the mask he wore.

Coincidentally, as he thought of Luna, he saw the purple motorcycle come into his view. And true enough, he saw a passenger behind her. She parked her bike just close to where he was, with Mortred jumping off just at the right moment. Yurnero fully stopped what he was doing as the two older women approached them.

The small purple kitten moved from Lanaya's lap, lowly strutting its way to Luna, as she crouched down to pick Nova up. She looked at the three college students that were eyeing her.

"Is this what you guys do in the morning?" she asked, sitting on her bike.

"Not really." Lina replied. "We just wanted to keep Yurnero company."

"Ah." Luna turned to face the masked student. "So you train in the morning, Jugger?"

"Why do you call him 'Jugger'?" Lanaya asked, her first time hearing Yurnero's nickname.

"She thought that I fight like a juggernaut, when I explained to her what we do." Yurnero said, clarifying the situation. "She called me 'Jugger' ever since."

"It's nice, though." Mortred joined in on the conversation, sitting under the shade, next to Lanaya. "Rolls off the tongue nicely."

"Hey, Luna. Why don't you fight Yurnero?" Lina proposed, earning a glare from Lanaya.

Luna froze, at first, but then a smirk appeared on her face, as she move to Lina's side.

"I'd rather not fight. But I think all of us wouldn't mind if Mortred steps in." Now it was Mortred's turn to freeze up, especially with eyes now on her.

"Oh, Luna. Ha ha ha." She laughed, nervously. "Please, don't speak nonsense."

"Oh, don't be so modest, Mortred." Luna replied, with the most evil grin they have seen. "I very well know **first hand** how much of a fight you can put up."

Lanaya now wanted to see what Mortred was actually capable of, as she only saw the tail end of their scuffle. She helped Luna slowly convince Mortred.

"Come. It shouldn't be too hard for you." She said, pushing Mortred off her rear. "Yurnero, don't go easy on her."

"If she doesn't mind." He said as Mortred approached him.

She looked around nervously at the others, their eyes now waiting for her response. Sensing that she couldn't get out of it, no matter what, she took off her jacket, going into the spar wearing just a black tank top with her brown jeans. As Mortred stood in front of him, Yurnero readied his stance.

"Do you have another weapon?" She asked, seeing his bokken.

Yurnero relaxed, turning to his training bag. "I have shorter one." He said, a blade half the size of his own.

Mortred smiled. "This will do nicely." She said, going into a stance.

With Mortred's stance lower than Yurnero's, they began circling each other, waiting for the other to strike first. With what seemed like an eternity, it was Yurnero who struck first, swinging his wooden blade down. But Mortred was swifter, dodging it and going for a strike of her own. Yurnero, not as lithe as Mortred, swung his blade back to deflect it.

The first round of attack had made them back off of each other momentarily, judging their next best course of attack. This time it was Mortred who chanced the next attack, leaping forward with her blade at the ready. Although Yurnero was able to block it, Mortred's momentum was enough to push him back.

Mortred was smiling, happy to be aggressive for once, and not needing to shy away from other so she could show them what she was capable of. The arts that she was trained for when she was still a child. The only thing that she could get some use out of from the years she had as a Veiled Sister.

Yurnero was also slightly unnerved, seeing an almost sadistic smile from the baker's mostly serene expression. He tried going on the offensive, but he was having difficulty in trying to just hit her. She, on the other hand, would now lay multiple attacks when he'd block some of hers.

The others were also watching in stupor. Lina was quiet frightened at how dangerous the baker actually was, with Lanaya pleasantly surprised. Luna, although at first very supportive, was now nervous. Seeing Mortred act this way just brought unpleasant memories of her own encounters with Mortred's other 'sisters'.

They were now spread out again, with Yurnero uncomfortable with going defensive most of the time. Mortred had adrenaline pumping through her, but she felt her body slowly giving out, not having been through this type of action in a long time. She knew she wouldn't last long any time soon, so she prepared for one last strike she could put out. Yurnero saw through this, and held his bokken up high.

And then Mortred moved with speed, going head on faster than before, but Yurnero timed it perfectly, swinging his blade down just in time to strike Mortred's. The force between the two was immense, sending them back, falling on the ground as their blades merely exploded. Even the three that were watching them felt a gust of air from the contact.

Luna went to Mortred's side as Lanaya went to Yurnero's. Lina could only watch from her spot, slowly putting the cast back on. Yurnero immediately sat in a lotus position, preserving his energy and recuperating. Mortred on the other hand was almost passed out. It's been years since she went all out, and her body was not ready for the adrenaline suddenly coursing through her veins. Nova licking her face made her pain more bearable.

"Well played." Mortred said tiredly to Yurnero.

Although not responding immediately, he lift up his mask, so the others could see his mouth, and smile. "You too, as well. A very powerful baker."

Mortred chuckled, slowly breathing in air. "And Luna's an even more powerful Barista."

"Can you get up?" Luna asked. Mortred just shook her head.

"We should just rest here for a bit." Lanaya offered. "I'll call Mirana, tell her we'll be a little late."

"Yeah, you do that." Luna dragged the tired baker to under the Protector's shade.

"Where did you learn how to do that?" Lina asked in awe.

Mortred's face went grim for a moment, surprising Lina. "You wouldn't want to know." She replied, before falling asleep to exhaustion.

The five of them ended up waiting under the Protector for almost an hour till they could go their separate ways. And Lanaya now realized just how dangerous both Luna and Mortred could be.

And it was terrifying.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**Guest**: well, the short length of the previous chapter was a given. it was meant to be a lighthearted chapter. and i am planning on giving more characterizations to the minor heroes, and i realized that out of the four of Lanaya's friends, Yurnero did get the short stick in characterization. hopefully, this chapter helped.

**DK**: yeah, Invoker (and by extension, the other doctors) will make an appearance again. and he'll definitely be the arrogant prick people have come to known.

and to the others, hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	18. Patience between a Slash and a Dance

**Patience between a Slash and a Dance**

Sylla sat in the break room, waiting the day out till he goes out again. They didn't need him as often as Mirana had wanted, but he's good at what he does. Being an old friend of Selemene had put him in a nice position from the girls' point of view. He could sometimes feel the envious gaze from Mirana and Luna, mostly Mirana, as before he had popped into their lives, they thought that they were the closest to her.

And with good reason. Selemene has told him of their stories, on how they ended up working for her. How Mirana had run away from her family, to escape the life of an heiress to one of the most renowned company there was. He was amazed that she, running away just before she was technically a adult, was able to reach to position and comfort she was in right now.

Luna and Mortred's story was something that they had already known. A common thought amongst all of them was how Luna was almost a polar opposite of who she was. Sylla was also amused to see the minor hostility coming from her towards the manager, especially when it comes to Selemene. Mortred, on the other hand, was a different matter. No doubt that Luna has faced the 'Veiled Sisters' before, but Sylla himself actually came across Mortred.

He was one of the targets that they deemed worthy to be killed, but he held his ground when Mortred came after him, even taking her to the City Guards. He was a bit disappointed to know that she however did not remember him. H would love to talk about her past, but he'd just end up making a young girl depressed.

Shendel's was a sad story. A story that she had not shared to anyone else, beside Selemene. And even then, it wasn't her telling it, but the landlady that had took Shendel in. He had a hard time remembering her name though. _Avilliva, was it?_ He wasn't sure, he had only met her once, long before Selemene set up this quaint little coffee shop. He's not prone to acting like that caring grandfather to the younger generation, but he'd always feel the inkling to do so for her, but he'd know that it would only make her more uncomfortable.

The part-timer was right. There are too many secrets. Speaking of the part-timer, Sylla was a bit cautious of her. She's been always there, learning of people's secrets, and storing them up in her head. But there was nothing he knew of her. Selemene had told him that she joined up to get some work experience, that there was no underlying story like the others. But that's what got his attention in the first place. The girl is way too curious, always eager in learning the secrets of others.

_Whatever._ He thought, moving his way outside the break room.

There's not much a custodian like him could do at this hour. He just approached the first thing that came into his view. In this case, it was none other than the manager, writing idly in her notebook in front of the barista. He walked straight to her, but only Luna nodded, acknowledging his presence. He stood behind Mirana, who still had not taken notice, until he cleared his throat.

Mirana turned around, almost falling off her stool, taken aback by the custodian's sudden appearance. "Sylla. God…" she breathed slowly. "Don't scare me like that." She saw that he was staring intently at her. "Uh, what do you want?"

"Is there anything you need of me?" He asked. "I am bored, girl."

"Oh, is that it?" Mirana felt a vein pop, being treated like a little girl again. "I don't know. Maybe mop the floor?"

"I can break the window, so Sylla can fix it again." Luna offered as she mindlessly made some drinks, earning a glare from Mirana.

"Don't get any ideas." Mirana said, trying to quell Luna's absurd thought. "But yeah, Sylla. Mopping would be nice."

He continued staring at Mirana, slowly making the young manager uncomfortable, before closing his eyes. "Alright."

He turned to his closet, getting his equipment before moving about, mopping the area. Luckiy, the small amount of people made both his job easier and their comfort undisturbed. He just idled along around the tables, hearing the conversations and the bickering that were going on around him.

With the ring of a bell, he saw the door open to three people. They all looked slightly identical, two of them bald while the other had a hat on, complimented with a stylized beard. Their clothes were also very different from one another. One of the bald men was as burly as him, wearing a green military uniform from the east. The other, more fit looking bald man wore a red martial arts uniform. He realized it had the same symbol that the masked college student had on his uniform. _probably the master_ Sylla thought. The last man, looking slightly pudgy, wore a loose blue top that looked like it belonged to a troupe. They all got a table together.

"See, cousin, this place is just perfect for us!" the blue clad man said, putting an arm around the more serious looking of the trio.

"Where did you learn of this place, anyway, Raijin?" he asked, shifting uncomfortably on his seat.

"I didn't. It was Xin." He pointed to their brethren, who had closed his eyes, looking in a state of harmonious bliss.

"Suggestion, from a student." The blue clad man, named Raijin, started laughing jovially, especially when a groan escaped the green clad one. "Relax, and have fun, Kaolin."

"Yes! You came to visit your cousins, so we are going to take you around town!" Raijin claimed excitedly.

Through their light banter, Sylla saw Lanaya approach them, almost awkwardly, as if not wanting to disrupt their conversation. It took a moment till one of them took notice of her.

"Ah yes! One of the beautiful maidens of this fine establishment!" Raijin said loudly, almost drawing attention to Lanaya. "I'll have a wonderful mocha latte, if you please."

"I'll have whatever Xin is having." Kaolin grumbled.

"Red tea, for two." Xin ordered for the both of them.

"Coming right up!" Lanaya said, in her most cheerful expression before turning her back to them.

"Do you still speak in four words?" Kaolin complained, slightly annoyed by his cousin.

Xin chuckled at Kaoling's discomfort. "Four words is plenty." He said, earning another groan from his visiting cousin.

"You know he has always spoken with four words. It makes him sound poetic." Raijin added, fully on Xin's side.

"Is this because of your years as a teacher?" Kaolin questioned, unaccustomed to his cousins' quirks and personalities.

"You can say that." Xin replied.

"Not all of us had the idea of joining the military, like you do, Kaolin."

"And what have you been doing? I noticed you've lost a lot of weight."

"I dance!" Raijin got out of his chair, striking a pose as if it would be enough evidence. Kaoling looked none too pleased. "I'm sure even **my** students can show you a thing or two."

Lanaya arrived before he could come up with a rebuttal,, providing them with the drinks they had ordered before excusing herself again. Raijin took his latte eagerly, slowly enjoying the drink. Xin also gave Kaolin his cup of tea, before sipping his own, almost entering a trance. Still Kaolin looked unamused.

"This tea is wonderful." Xin said, unintentionally complimenting the barista who was out of earshot.

"I know! This latte is amazing!" Raijin suddenly stood up again. "I must compliment the barista!"

Hearing this, Sylla decided to intervene, knowing the possibilities of how Luna would react. Especially to people like him.

He put his hand on Raijin's shoulder, surprising not just him, but the other two as well. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. She's not that good with people."

Raijin looked disheartened, but perked up again instantly. "Very well! Can you give her our compliments, worthy custodian?"

"I'll do that."

"Why are you always extravagant?" Kaoin complained, finally taking a sip of his own cup of tea.

"He's always like that." Xin once again said with four words, earning another groan from their military-bred cousin.

Sylla a finally moved to a different spot, deciding that he's had enough of the quarrelling of the three cousins. As he moved, something was amiss in the room. He observed it, slowly scanning every nook and cranny, until he landed on his co-workers.

_Wait a minute…._ he thought. _Where's Shendel?_


	19. Broken Bird's Betrayal

**Broken Bird's Betrayal**

_Breath._

_Breath._

_**Breath!**_

The Dark Moon's restroom was filled with the hyperventilating Shendel, as she stood leaning all of her weight on the faucet. The few years of her working at the coffee shop had calmed her mind, but a glance at the morning newspaper had brought her into another state of distress. She tried pushing it down, but she couldn't hold it in any longer.

She couldn't believe it, when she saw the front page on the morning newspaper. _"New Scion inherits the Skywrath Corporation."_

She couldn't believe it. All this time, this was still what she had wanted. A part of her wanted to think otherwise. Hell, a part of actually managed to forget about it. It was too much. Too much. **Too much.**

"Shendel?" she heard someone call out to her.

She looked up at the mirror, seeing Mirana's reflection at the door, looking worried.

"Sylla asked me to check up on you." She slowly made her way inside the restroom. "I thought he was just being an old geezer, but…." Mirana reached Shendel, putting a hand on her back. "Is something wrong?"

Shendel shook her head. "No, no." she said through her cracking voice. "Nothing's wrong, Mirana." A glance at the mirror allowed her to see that Mirana was unconvinced.

"Hey, come now." Mirana propped Shendel up. "You can tell us anything." Mirana turned the waitress around so they could face each other, both her hands now on Shendel's shoulders.

Shendel tried to answer, but emotions welling up inside her made it impossible, as she started breaking down. Mirana immediately brought her into a tight hug, trying to give comfort to her distressed friend. Shendel was unresponsive, but Mirana waited patiently for Shendel to return the hug. She felt her shoulder becoming wet, as Shendel's arms slowly wrapped around her.

"You don't need to tell us anything if you don't want to." Mirana said assuredly. "At the very least we should leave the restroom. It's not healthy." She felt Shendel nod, prompting her to drag the waitress out of the room.

Mirana dragged Shendel out of the restroom, towards the Dark Moon's break room. Shendel was led to one of the chairs; still tears are falling down her face. Mirana stood behind her, wrapping her arms around Shendel's neck, giving Shendel one last hug.

"Just know that we are here for you, okay?" Mirana said. Shendel slowly nodded before Mirana left the room.

Shendel, now all alone, calmed herself down. Putting all the memories deep in the bowels of consciousness, even though she knows it's only temporary. She heard the door open and close behind her, light footsteps drawing near where she was sitting. As the chair beside her was pulled out, she finally saw that it was Lanaya that had decided to join her. Shendel's eyes widened when she saw the newspaper in Lanaya's hands.

"I saw you, uhm…." Lanaya scratched the back of her head. "freak out a bit, when Luna was reading the paper."

Shendel chuckled defeatedly. "Are you always around when people have secrets?"

Lanaya burrowed her eyebrows, uncomfortable at the insinuation. "Shendel…."

"Yeah, I know…." Shendel let out a tired sigh. "You're just always so curious." She looked once again at the newspaper. "The front page."

Lanaya looked back at the newspaper, reading the passage that Shendel pointed out. She was confused at first, wondering what Shendel meant, until she got a better look at the new 'Scion'. She looked like a younger, healthier version of Shendel. Her eyes widened when realization dawned on her, turning to Shendel for clarification.

"That is my sister." She said, confirming Lanaya's suspicions.

"What happened?" Lanaya asked, knowing she's walking into sensitive territory.

"Mainly…." Shendel's gaze met the ceiling, looking for the perfect words to describe her past. "Betrayal, exile, and affairs."

"What?" Lanaya asked in confusion.

"It's a long story…."

"We have time." Both of them turned to the new voice in the room; Mortred. They had not felt her presence entering the room.

Shendel let out a sad laugh as the memories became stronger. As the tears started flowing again, she looked at the both of them. "You two, maybe have heard of the Skywrath Corporation?"

They both nodded.

"That, was my parent's company." She chuckled again. "_Was_ because of what you guys are reading right now." Shendel wiped her tears before continuing. "I have 2 younger sisters. I loved them, like any other older sister would. Apparently, only my youngest sister reciprocated."

"I never really had it in mind, that I would probably inherit my parents' company. Taking care of something like that was just something that never caught my interests. If they were going to give it to me, I would hand it to my sister." She sighed, wiping her tears once again. "Looks like she thought otherwise."

"I don't know what she told my youngest sister, but she was somehow convinced that **I** was trying to eliminate the both of them. She came after me, but it took hours to convince her that whatever she was told, that they were all lies." Her eyes shut tight. "But an accident ended up with a scissor stabbed through my sister's abdomen."

"And wouldn't you know it, my parents were there to witness it, with the person who started it all." Shendel's breathing slowly became erratic. "I guess things would've turned out the same if I was the victim. She just wanted to make sure nobody would stand between her and the company." Shendel slammed the table, shocking Lanaya and Mortred. "Why? Why?! Why did she even do that?!" Shendel asked rhetorically. "If she asked, I would've just stepped aside. It didn't have to be like this….."

Shendel shook her head, this time not wiping the tears. "After that…. 'incident', my youngest sister was hospitalized. They said she was in a coma. And I was disowned. They didn't believe anything I said, and even if they did…. There was no room for anyone in the family that could be seen as a 'murderer'."

Both Lanaya and Mortred had listened on quietly, both gauging on how they would approach the subject. Lanaya went first.

"Uhm…." She was still unsure of what she was about to ask, but she decided to go with it. "What are you going to do now?"

"I just want to live my life, by myself." Shendel covered her teary face with her hands. "I don't want anything to do with them anymore. Fuck them." Her breathing became erratic again. "But, if I ever see my sister again…." Shendel brought her hands down, her reddened eyes straining from all the tears. "I will make her suffer."

"Don't." Lanaya grasped Shendel's hand, holding it tightly. "You'll regret it if you do something drastic."

"I don't think I have anything to lose now." Mortred stood up abruptly, drawing attention to her.

"Yes you do!" she said, catching both Shendel and Lanaya off guard from her sudden outburst. "You have us! You have friends, people who care about you!" Mortred slammed the table. "Don't you **ever dare** think of throwing your life away!"

Shendel looked away from the angry Mortred, with Lanaya moving back to the baker, now calming her down. An awkward silence fell the room after her outburst, Shendel feeling guilty for getting Mortred angry.

Mortred then pointed at Shendel's locker. "Who was that guy?" she asked.

Shendel was confused at what Mortred meant. "What guy?"

"The guy in that picture." Mortred clarified. Shendel flinched at the thought. "Yes, him. Who is he?"

"He…." Shendel was hesitant to answer. "He…. Is a story for another time."

"Shendel…."

Shendel shook her head rapidly. "He was just a guy that wasn't there when I needed him the most…."

It was then that Shendel's walls finally broke down, the silent tears now bursting out to its full capacity. Mortred's brief anger fully dissipated upon seeing how much of a broken bird Shendel was. She moved to Shendel's side, bringing her into a comforting hug. Shendel cried into Mortred's arms, the first time she was able to share her pain with others. Lanaya stood next to the two, her hand rubbing Shendel's back in a comforting way.

It was now that Shendel actually realized how many precious people were around her.

Unbeknownst to them, Mirana, Luna and Sylla stood outside the break room, eavesdropping on the conversation happening inside. Both Mirana and Luna sighed in relief, thinking that the situation had been resolved. Mirana, however, stared daggers at Sylla.

"You knew about her?" She asked accusingly.

"Yes. Selemene always shares secrets." He said offhandedly.

"So you know everything? Every single thing about us?" Mirana started feeling uncomfortable.

Oddly enough, for both her and Sylla, Luna comforted her. "Calm down, princess. Soon everyone's bound to know each other's secrets here."

Mirana turned to face Luna, her face still looking for assurance.

"Secrets are safe between all of us." Luna said.

"She's right." Sylla added. "No better people to trust with your secrets than the very people who you can call your friends."

Mirana looked back at Luna again. "Does that mean you think of me as a friend?" she asked hopefully.

Luna was silent at first, before putting her hand on Mirana's head. "Maybe someday in the future, _princess_."

As she saw Luna go back to her station, Mirana let a small feeling of hope sprout, of her and Luna not always hostile. She looked back at the door to the break room, wishing the best for Shendel as the cries receded.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE****  
**

well, you guys might notice that, out of the five protagonists, Shendel got the short end for her characterization. it's mostly because i was still so confused on how to approach her history.

finally got that done now. phew.

hope you guys enjoyed the chapter!


	20. Midnight Comfort

**Midnight Comfort**

A skyscraper stood tall in the middle of a bustling metropolis; overshadowing most of the area, save for a few high-rise buildings around it. An image of the sun adorned with smaller stars around it on the high-rise symbolized the company that owned it. Fittingly, as the building is the headquarters of the Solar Dominion. Despite the malevolent implications of the name, the Solar Dominion has established its reputation as one of the most reputable companies in the continent. They sacrifice quite a bit of effort in ensuring that the experience was both pleasant to them and their customers. It is because of them prioritizing quality than quantity that they have remained the people's favorites for the past two decades.

The CEO's office was situated at the highest floor, giving them the greatest view. It was here that Mirana sat comfortably on what could be considered the throne, as her eyes glazed over the files and documents that were everywhere on her table and the computer in front of her. But she was confused, now more than ever. _How did I get here?_ she thought, halting whatever progress she was doing. She stood up, getting a better understanding of her surrounding before landing on a mirror on the other side of the room.

She approached it, her gaze slowly observing the attire she was wearing. Gone was the standard appearance she had as the manager of the Dark Moon and in its place was a prim and proper blue dress suit. A small silver tiara was adorned on her head, with her straight brown hair now braided to the tip. None of this made any sense to her. She wanted to sit down before she passed out. But upon hearing the door open, she focused all her energy on her new guest.

It was her mother. Mirana, not expecting her mother to pop up, felt her growing nausea dissipate completely through sheer surprise alone. Her mother looked exactly like her, albeit shorter with graying hair. She had a soft and warm smile; one that Mirana had missed seeing. She expected a scolding, or a lecture because of her decisions, yet she found none of it.

"I am so glad that you decided to continue your father's legacy. He had put all of his life to the Solar Dominion, and nothing makes him happier than seeing his own daughter taking the reign." Her mother said softly.

_What?_ Mirana thought. _that's not what happened._ Mirana was about to voice her concern regarding the situation, yet when she spoke, something was amiss.

"I know, mother. Hopefully, through father's teachings, I can bring the Solar Dominion towards a brighter future." Mirana was flabbergasted. _What?! That's not what I wanted to say!_

As her mother began to walk around the room, her words falling on deaf ears, Mirana tried to make sense of the situation. The longer she was here, the more familiar things start to become. Like she's experienced this before. But she still couldn't put her mind to it. _What is this feeling of déjà vu?_ she kept asking herself. When her mother arrived at the table where she sat before, realization finally dawned on Mirana. _It's a dream!_ She wanted to sigh in relief, but something was still not right. Why was she not in control if she realized that this was just a dream?

The answer to that question made itself apparent when an odd purple tinge filled the world.

_Oh, **no!**_

"Mirana, what is this?" her mother asked, gesturing to the documents that she was working on. Her body moved towards the table, Mirana helpless to stop it. She leaned on the table, looking at the numbers, the orders she put out, the decisions she had made. Now understanding what they meant, she realized that these documents would send the company spiraling down. It was happening. Again. Her mother saw Mirana's distraught expression.

"Don't worry, honey. I'm sure it's not that bad." She said, trying to comfort her daughter, yet the alarms blaring through the whole building.

Mirana moved herself to the window, hearing the cries of people below her and the sound of windows breaking as people threw random objects out of it. She could hear the T.V. pop up, news of the Solar Dominion's implosion spreading through the continent. She saw people rioting in the streets. Complete, and utter chaos. She felt herself breaking through all of this.

"Calm down, Mirana, we can-" her mother stopped talking abruptly behind her, and Mirana knew what it was.

She finally realized what was truly happening, but she was too afraid to face it. The **thing** that had haunted her dreams. Then she felt invisible hands all around her body, in places very few actual people had touched. She felt violated, as she was slowly forced to face the **it**. Her eyes widened when she saw the scene in front of her.

A hideous looking creature was floating above the ground, shaped like some kind of mythical centaur, as black blood oozed from its body. It had four arms, two of them protruding from the back of his shoulders, hanging down like claws. It had no eyes, in its place was a black space of line in the middle of its head. Its two 'normal' arms were holding her mother in place; one by the neck and the other straight through her torso, clutching her mother's heart. It made her gag, yet she was powerless to stop it. The creature moved closer to her, but it was staring through her, observing the scene that it had so _wonderfully_ created. A sadistic grin formed on its face.

"_I dreamt of utter chaos, and anarchy…. And woke up to find myself upon it._" it said, before shifting its 'gaze' towards Mirana. "_But now…. Nap time is over._"

It started laughing maniacally as it threw the body of Mirana's mother behind it. It closed its distance between it and Mirana, but she fell to the ground when the invisible hands let her go. She felt the invisible hands trail on her back, pulling her head back by her hair, allowing her to see the ceiling; no longer a roof covering it, simply the dark sky gracing its presence. But instead of the serene trance she usually feels, the moon was unnaturally large, a malevolent energy coursing from it.

The creature took notice of her cowering form. "_What's wrong? Are you afraid of the Dark Moon?_" It started cackling again, no doubt in glee from Mirana's suffering.

The hands began moving all over her body, no longer invisible as it made itself appear in her eyes; black, tentacle-like hands, all over her body. It brought Mirana to a tight embrace as its 'normal' hands held Mirana's head in place, while the two 'claw' hands caressed her cheek and forehead. It was now above her, black blood dripping from its mouth onto her.

"_Yes…._" it said as Mirana was choking from the black blood filling her mouth. "_The ichor of **Nyctasha** shall drag you into **my** domain, oh sweet **Mirana**._"

It started cackling through its sadistic grin. "_Shut your eyes…. And dream of **me**._" it said. "_For I am, the **Bane** of your existence!_"

"NOOOOOOOO!"

Then darkness filled Mirana's vision. She thought she had plunged deeper into limbo, till a blue and red light flashed into view, the sound of the City Guard's patrol siren following it. She sat up, realizing that she's awake, back on her bed, now completely drenched from her sweat. She's been waking up like this for the past few weeks, but she never remembered the dream. But now, she knew exactly what was making her sleep so uncomfortably.

"Atropos." Mirana remembered all too well of her experiences with the supernatural creature.

A being that many chose not to believe, as the logical reasoning was that it's impossible for some ethereal creature to be plaguing people's dreams. Yet, as some have attested to, it was very real. Mirana used to be one of the people who scoffed at those who would preach of the existence of such a creature, calling them crazed maniacs. All it took was for her to experience the same thing others have to be a believer.

Those dire visitations were the thing that pushed Mirana off the edge, growing the seeds of paranoia within her, as her father actually did intend for her to continue on his legacy. If she had a clear head, she might have considered, but it was far too late. She was so afraid of ruining the very thing her father had created from the ground up, that she'd rather run away from it.

Ever since, she's only been in contact with them through phone calls and letters once a week. It pained her to hear her mother's sad voice, how her parents would really like her to come home, but she did not want to go back to it, as the dreams were enough of a nightmare for her. Plus, she's made a living here, and she's not just going to throw it all away, as much as it hurt them.

_Damn it._

She got off her bed, leaving her bedroom as she was starting to feel constricted just by being inside it. She took the phone, wanting to call Selemene if she could stay the night. But after minutes of dial tone and 5 times nobody answered, she knew that it meant that Selemene wasn't home. _Of course she wouldn't be. It's Saturday night._ She thought, the realization just annoying her more.

But she couldn't stay in her apartment anymore. The times before where she woke up like this, she had been graced of not remembering whatever dream she had. But now that she did, she didn't feel safe anymore. She wanted to leave, to find a place where she could stay, some place where she could find comfort as well. The only thought coming to her mind was a certain barista's apartment. But she knew it would be hard to coerce Luna, since the older woman did not like having visitors.

She tried calling her first, but there was once again no answer. The difference is that she knew Luna was home, she knew that Luna always stayed at home in Saturday nights. She decided to take the risk, packing a change of clothes and taking Sagan with her, leaving her apartment locked in a disheveled state. She's really pushing her luck, hoping Luna would be willing to let her stay for the day.

With only a sleeping Sagan keeping her company in her car, Mirana started feeling claustrophobic. The fact that both their apartments were at other sides of the city didn't help, but as much of a reckless driver she was, she did not want to risk anything, taking her time on the road knowing she's currently in a fragile state of mind. But the prospect of solitude was enough to calm her down, and before she knew it, she was parking her car in front of Luna's apartment building.

She waited in her car for a little while, still hesitant on whether or not Luna would accept her in. But once again, she prayed and hoped for the best as she made her up the building, towards the barista's apartment. When she reached the door to Luna's room, she went to knock it, still unsure of whether it was the wisest thing to do. But desperation calls to her, as her hand met the door.

She knocked it a few times, waiting for a few minutes but she got no responses. Feeling dejected, Mirana was about to leave when she heard footsteps from inside the room. The door slowly opened, and she saw Luna greet her, blue shorts and a tank top. Her eyes widened upon seeing Luna's attire, feeling her cheeks warm up. She shook her head before looking Luna eye to eye, blue meeting indigo.

"What do you want, _Princess_?" Luna asked, irritated by the disturbance.

"Can I stay for the night?" Luna frowned at the request. "I can't be alone. I need to have someone I know near me."

Closing her eyes, Luna pinched the bridge of her nose. "Why is that?"

"I just can't be alone right now. I **can't**." now Luna wanted to know why Mirana was so insistent. She should know better.

"I'm not letting you pass this door unless you give me a good reason." Luna said, crossing her arms while leaning on the doorframe.

Mirana started fidgeting uncomfortably, but she wanted to get inside, relenting what she had experienced. "Atropos…."

Luna didn't respond upon hearing Mirana's answer. At least, not yet. Mirana just waited, until Luna let out a defeated sigh, moving aside to let Mirana in, much to Mirana's relief. With Sagan in her arms and her backpack slung over her shoulder, she entered her temporary sanctuary. But just taking a few steps in, she was not prepared for Luna's current guest.

"Hey Mirana!" Lanaya greeted from Luna's couch. The part-timer sat comfortably on it, with the purple kitten resting on her lap.

"Lanaya? What are you doing here?" She asked.

"The dorm's being too rowdy tonight, some kind of party. I just wanted to get out of it, you know?" Lanaya eyed Mirana. "What are you doing here?"

"I just needed some company." Mirana answered, laughing nervously. She turned to Luna, who still looked irritated. "Where's Mortred?"

"She's staying at Shendel's apartment, for the time being. She wanted to keep her company, after her breakdown."

"So this apartment's free?" Mirana said, feeling hopeful of the situation.

Luna rolled her eyes at Mirana's expression. "Don't push your luck."

As Mirana situated herself in the living room, she glanced at Luna's retreating form, her head gesturing Mirana to follow her. She quickly glanced at Lanaya, who was engrossed with whatever was airing right now. She dropped her bag and handed Sagan to the part-timer before making her way to Luna's bedroom, feeling slightly guilty for disrespecting her privacy, especially since their relationship wasn't exactly the closest.

As Mirana entered the room, she saw Luna had already situated herself on her bed, leaning on the headboard as the moonlight shone through the window, basking her in a beautiful lunar glow. _How appropriate_ Mirana thought, as she joined Luna on her bed, sitting not too far from the older woman. They sat there, Luna waiting for the manager to tell her story but Mirana was unsure on how to proceed.

"Come on. What happened?" Luna asked, nudging Mirana to make a move.

"You know, the usual…." Mirana was still circling around the subject, until she felt a small kick at her side by an impatient Luna.

Breathing in a lungful of air, she began telling Luna her dream. The same dream that had pushed her to the arms of Selemene years ago. Mirana was so fully entranced in retelling it that she did not notice Luna had made her lie down, resting Mirana's head on her lap. She was surprised that when she finished her story that she was staring at the ceiling.

"Didn't you go to a doctor for this?" Luna asked.

Mirana shook her head. "You know nobody believes in Atropos. Almost everyone think it's just some sort of ghost story."

"But didn't people die?"

Mirana got up, almost hitting Luna. "You think I don't know that? Everyone just thinks that these people died in their sleep! And it's true!"

"But those people looked like a dried up corpse." Mirana flinched at the thought. "Aren't there any people that can be convinced?"

"If only." Mirana laid back down, finding comfort on Luna's lap. "I just, don't want to be alone."

Despite feeling slightly annoyed, Luna was not going to leave Mirana alone. "Fine." She moved Mirana off her lap, giving the manager her bed.

"Where're you going?" Mirana asked, wrapping her arms around.

"I can't sleep when there's another person on the bed. Unless that person joins while I'm sleeping." Luna said, remembering Mortred's first night. "Just sleep again, Mirana. We'll be outside."

Mirana's eyes widened, hearing Luna say her name. She's hardly, if ever, heard Luna say her name. She felt joy at the idea that their relationship was improving. That alone made the paranoia recede, and she felt exhaustion take her body once more. With her vision blurring, she felt herself get tucked in by Luna, and embraced the warm bed of her temporary sanctuary.

With Mirana already asleep, Luna made her way out of the room. Unsurprisingly to her, Lanaya was outside her room, eavesdropping the conversation with both Sagan and little Nova in her arms. She laughed nervously, getting caught red handed, but Luna just rolled her eyes at the college student's antics, motioning her to follow her back to the living room.

"You think Atropos is real?" Lanaya asked as they sat themselves.

"Real enough." Luna answered.

"So, Mirana's like Shendel, huh?"

Luna chuckled. "Pretty much." She turned to Lanaya, still looking skeptical. "You can ask her yourself about Atropos. I know a lot of people think it doesn't exist."

"Why do you hate Mirana?" Luna wasn't prepare for that question.

She sighed. "I don't hate her. Not anymore, at least."

"What happened?"

"Nothing dramatic. Years ago, when Selemene took us in, we just had a hell of a rivalry, fighting for Selemene's attention. I don't think I hate her anymore, but because of that, and my own experience with her 'type' of people when I was young, it still leaves a bitter taste."

"You know, I think Selemene would be happy if her two favorite employees made up."

"No doubt about that."

Lanaya waited till Luna looked comfortable again, before asking her another question. "Can I stay the night too?"

Luna groaned. "Fine. Just don't ruin my sleep."

They laughed together, waiting to fall asleep in living room. Lanaya was secretly grateful to be in Luna's apartment that night, getting to see another the older woman's softer core that she hardly showed to anyone.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

so, Atropos, the Bane Elemental is _probably_ the only hero that fully retains his appearance and and characteristics from the game's counterpart. at first, my idea was that he was simply a supernatural phenomenon, as you guys might remember in Chp. 8.

he's basically like Freddy, right? i'm not sure, never watched those movies XD

anyway, hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! :D


	21. Rally Cry

**Rally Cry**

Heroes Lane was filled with all kinds of activity on a Sunday morning, be it children playing around, joggers circling the lanes, couples spending their time together, families with their small picnics or friends catching up for old time's sake. It was here, beneath the shade of the Protector, that Mortred and Shendel were having a morning picnic/breakfast.

Mortred had insisted that they ate their breakfast at the park, waking up waitress early on just as dawn broke, much to her chagrin. The only reason Shendel agreed to the idea was because of the varied types of pastries she had prepared before they left. Shendel was slightly concerned for her friend, though, as Mortred looked like she hadn't slept yet.

"Are you sure you're alright?" she asked once again, seeing Mortred yawn for the umpteenth time.

"_C'est bien_, Shendel." Mortred answered while rubbing her eyes. "I can make it through the day. Besides…" She yawned again, her mouth opening as wide as a Lion's. "It's a Sunday."

Shendel wasn't convinced. "I'm worried that you might collapse."

"Well, if I do, it's a good thing you're here, right?" She laughed, seeing her Shendel's discomfort regarding the idea.

When the laughter receded, they sat there in quiet, content with just enjoying the serene atmosphere Heroes Lane provided. Even after finishing their breakfast, they stayed at their spot, relaxing under the shade. They were in their own little worlds until a scrawny, middle-aged man approached them. He wore a thin black suit with black bandages wrapped around his head, carrying a big box on his back with a hissing sound accompanying it. He also had a chicken following him around.

"Good morning, ladies." He greeted them through a course voice. "May I have a moment of your time?"

They both stared at each other, a silent conversation being exchanged between them on how to approach the situation. Mortred then turned to the man and nodded, earning a soft smile from him. He then propped up the box he was carrying, setting up incense around them. The chicken set itself between Mortred and Shendel, who were confused as to what was going on.

As the man began praying, Mortred finally recognized the man.

"You're that street magician, aren't you?" The man stopped praying, chuckling for a moment.

"Yes, but that is another matter entirely."

"Do you have a stage name?" She asked again.

"I go by the name…" he paused, breathing in the incense that was settling around them. "Shadow Shaman."

Shendel chuckled, finding hilarity in the situation. "A shaman? What can you even do?"

The shaman shook his head at Shendel's ignorance. "It does not matter whether you believe or not. All I ask is for a moment of your time."

The shaman then began praying again, chanting in some otherworldly language that neither Mortred or Shendel have heard of. The smoke from the incense began clumping around them. As if on cue, he took out a bottle from the box. He stood up straight, readying a stance.

"Neia teia an da ka!" he chanted, grabbing the air above Shendel who was startled by the sudden action.

Mortred, who had a good view of the scene, was awe-struck, seeing the shaman grab the smoke and putting it in the bottle. He sat back down and chanted again, this time at the bottle. Both Mortred and Shendel saw the smoke become darker, before splitting into two different colors; dark green and pure black. They shivered, feeling goose bumps form around their body. As the smoke receded, the shaman then looked at Shendel.

"Do you know what the color means?" he asked her. Shendel, still shocked at what had just transpired, merely shook her head.

"This, is the color of your spirit." He said calmly. "The colors mean you are filled with resentment from your past. Is that true?"

Shendel's eyes widened at how the shaman saw through her completely like an open book. Mortred, seeing this, put a hand on Shendel's shoulder to calm her down, not wanting another breakdown. She then turned to the shaman, a looking of irritation on her face.

"Did you come here just to pull my friend down?" she asked through gritted teeth.

The shaman shook his head. "No, I came here because the spirits guided me." He touched Mortred's forehead with his finger. "You are the reason why."

"Then why did you tell her all of that?!"

The shaman shrugged, although he still looked slightly guilty at what he had done. "She wanted to see if I was really a shaman."

With furrowed brows, she asked him "What do you mean when you said that I'm the reason why you're here?"

"You, are a dangerous woman." A yellow snake had crawled out of the box, slithering around his arm, towards Mortred. "You have forsaken your past, yet your past has not forsaken you." The snake glazed its tongue on Mortred, making her flinch. "The people of your past will make its appearance around you, and whether you like it or not, you will have to deal with it."

Mortred and Shendel froze in place, shocked to their very core thanks to the shaman's presence in their morning. Seeing that the message has been given, he packed up his equipment, setting them back into the box; including the yellow snake.

"Wha-… What are you?" Shendel asked, still shaken.

The shaman turned to them as he stood up. "I am the medium between the worlds, the messenger of those gone by." He turned to Mortred again. "And they wanted me to warn this former assassin of her once allies."

He then turned and left with the chicken in tow, leaving them to their thoughts. Shendel, who had gathered herself before Mortred, turned to the still shaken baker, still looking distraught at the simple idea of a meeting between her and her former 'sisters'. She hugged her friend, partly as gratitude for the time she had put in to make her feel better.

"Let's get out of here, find some place calmer." Shendel suggested.

"_Oui_, good idea." Mortred answered, shaking the thoughts out of her head.

With their things packed up, they left the Protector, deciding on exploring the rest of Heroes Lane on this fine Sunday to clear their heads, still not fully believing at what had just happened. As they walked through the lanes, they came across an activist rally. Curious as to what they were talking about, they approached the rally, seeing the leader on a podium.

He wore a blue and pink ensemble, colors clashing with the environment. But what was distinct was how tall he was compared to the others, especially the woman next to him. They recognized her as the veterinarian that Mirana and Luna goes to, except she had forgone her lab coat, replacing it with a green hoodie that still didn't cover her midriff.

"We have to tip the balance!" the leader called out to them. "Humanity needs to pay for all the impurities that they have cause to the earth! The earth deserves its revenge!" The people cheered, making Mortred and Shendel uncomfortable, more so on the subject matter. "Let the taste the strength of the tainted waters they have polluted! Let them suffer the impure powers of nature!"

"Should we leave?" Shendel proposed, but Mortred shook her head.

"Not yet." She answered, feeling a strange wind, mostly thanks to the shaman for making her even more paranoid than she already was.

"We are nature's darkest agents! Because only in death, are we purged! Only in death, are we humbled! Only in death, will we find solitude! Only in death, will we be purified!" The crowd cheered once more, louder than before. Mortred found the cheery, silent smile the vet gave to e more unsettling than the people's reactions. "Because, every moment of existence, is torment to us and all others, yet only the wisest see this truth."

At that moment, Mortred felt a shiver down her spine, seeing a familiar looking figure approach the man from behind. The attire, she was sure who it belonged to. Her mind filled with determination and adrenaline, she rushed to the man, intending to stop what was to befall upon him. The figure was approaching closer, faster than her, but with a burst of energy, she launched herself at the man.

The man looked surprised, but Mortred saw a brief look of confusion when he realized that she was not going to land on him. Instead, Mortred, upon landing, covered his back and blocked the dagger that was about to strike him down with her own shoulder. The assailant was shocked, but it was immediately replaced with rage. She then ran away from the scene, leaving the stunned crowd and a wounded Mortred, but she was not going to let her get away, bolting towards the assailant.

Mortred chased her through the lanes, drawing attention from the ruckus, but even more attention from the trail of blood Mortred was leaving behind. When the assailant made her way towards an alleyway, Mortred felt glee, thinking the assailant had trapped herself in a dead-end. But when she herself arrived, she found the assailant nowhere to be seen.

Feeling lost, Mortred was about to leave the alley when she felt the wind behind her back. Her instincts made her act before she could think, rolling back into the alley as the assailant came crashing down, trying to strike her. As Mortred got herself off the ground, she saw that the assailant had a sadistic smile on her face.

"Hello, sister." Mortred greeted, trying to stand up straight, still clutching the wound on her shoulder.

"You are no longer our sister!" the assailant yelled. "What is it, that you called yourself? Oh, that's right. _Mortred_."

The Veiled Sister started laughing, almost in a maddened state. "You think you can give yourself a name, and be rid of us so easily?"

"It worked well enough." Mortred countered, trying to stay calm, but finding it harder with each passing minute, as the wound started to sting. "It took years till we finally see each other."

The Veiled Sister looked furious, especially at Mortred. "Because of you, the target I was supposed to kill is still alive."

"Hm, what a shame." Mortred replied, chuckling all the while. "You must not be a very god Veiled Sister to fail a contract like that."

"No matter." Her expressions then turned to glee. "I can kill you instead." She said, pointing her knife at Mortred.

Feeling threatened, Mortred tried to stand up straight, but her wound was starting to hold her down. "That would still mean you going against orders, _sister_. Are you really willing to risk punishment?"

"I'd be perfectly willing, as long as it means your death!" she said, before jumping to strike Mortred.

Finding that a head on fight would do her no good, Mortred sidestepped the attack, dodging all the attacks her former sister tried to make. But already losing more blood than she had thought, her movements started to slow down, giving ample opportunities for the assailant to strike her, slicing parts of her body.

As good as Mortred was, even amongst her 'sisters', her own vision was starting to get blurry, doubly so as each hit from the assailant struck her. Finally her body had had enough, collapsing on the back alley wall. All Mortred could do was stare at her former 'sister's eyes, accepting the inevitable death.

"Any last words, _Mortred_.?" the assailant asked, taunting Mortred.

Mortred spat at the Veiled Sister, angering her even more. "_Casse-toi_."

"I will enjoy this." She said as was about to strike Mortred.

But instead of the sound of metal meeting flesh, the sound of gunfire filled the alleyway, startling Mortred. She saw the Sister drop her knife, falling onto her back, writhing in pain with a bullet wound going through abdomen. Another figure then came into view, and it took a while for Mortred to recognize the man as Detective Banehallow. If it weren't for his physique, his sideburns and his ponytail giving him away, it would be the corgi following him around. Another person, who looked like Detective Davion, approached the still scream Sister, cuffing her hands.

Then another figure appeared, running straight towards her. "Mortred! Are you okay?" Shendel looked at her friend's appearance. "Oh, no…"

"Don't worry, Shendel." Mortred said, trying to calm her friend. "This is nothing."

"Very brave of you, Mortred, for risking your life like that." Banehallow said, grabbing her attention. "We'll get you medical help as soon as possible."

"Thank you, detective." Mortred said in gratitude.

But her eyes had gone too heavy for her to keep up, feeling the need to rest for what had already happened.

"Somebody, get her to the hospital!" was the last thing she heard, before limbo had taken her.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

well, little side note, i initially wanted to have a lighthearted chapter, since the last few were quiet serious, but as the story began to write itself, it ended up being **way** more serious than i imagined.

hopefully you guys enjoyed it!


	22. Hospital Shenanigans

**Hospital Shenanigans**

St. Aghanim's Hospital was situated in the middle of the downtown area, bustling with nonstop activity. This place knows no rest, even on Sundays, a particular rule enforced by the late Aghanim, as his legacy lives on through them. A peculiar man, with an even more peculiar son, and although many have doubted his judgments, there's no denying the fact that he looks out for any and all patients wherever he could.

Through this action, in one of the rooms was Rylai, watching Doctor Zharvakko work on Lina's leg, applying a balm across it. Lina looked like she was in pain as the doctor's hands moved about, her leg still too sensitive from any outside source of contact.

"Is she healing, doctor?" Rylai asked, concerned for her sister.

"Oh, faster den I expected." He said, sounding almost proud. "Her bones are slowly reconstructing. She'll be better before you know it."

"Do I still have to use a crutch?" Lina asked, lifting herself up with her elbows.

"Unfortunately, yes." he wrapped Lina's leg up with a thin layer of bandages, before holding the leg in place with Lina's cast. "But don't worry. With my medicine, you can walk aga-…"

"Hey, Zharvakko!" a blond doctor slammed the door open, cutting Zharvakko off. "Come. We need you in today's meeting."

Zharvakko went from jovial to annoyance from the intrusion. "Ey, Carl. I'm wit a patient here!" he gestured to Lina.

"Leave her." He said, dismissing Lina entirely. "This is much more important than some girl." He then left the room, slamming the door shut.

Zharvakko stood up, angered by the blond doctor's interruption. "Abo-talla-bashu-neba." He cursed. He turned to face the sisters. "Don't worry, I'll send another doctor to help you out."

He then left the sisters to their lonesome. An awkward air filled between them, as the unsaid sensitive subject was laid bare in the air. Lina chose to stay quiet, sitting herself up and propping her legs off the bed. Rylai was the one trying to initiate the conversation, but she couldn't form any words, worried on unintentionally offending her sister. She perked though, when a light subject finally formed.

"So, you believe in all this voodoo stuff that doctor Zharvakko does?" she heard Lina chuckle.

"It's just some traditional medicine, Rylai. I don't think there's anything 'voodoo' about it." Lina, with her crutch in her hand, slowly stood up.

"Do you regret changing doctors?" Lina scoffed as she turned to face her sister.

"Are you kidding? Did you see that asshole?" Lina pointed at the door behind her when she talked about the blond doctor. "Good riddance of that douchebag."

The two sisters shared a laugh, both secretly happy to have a good bonding time, especially out of public view. But the sound of the door knob rattling ruined it, as it open to show the black balaclava wearing doctor, the son of Aghanim. His constant light twitching was unnerving to them, and it kind of scared Rylai, wondering if there was something wrong with him.

"Good afternoon, girls." He greeted them, with his signature way of drawing out the 'r's. "It's good to see you looking better."

"Thank you, doctor Rubick." Lina answered, as the sisters were lead out of the room.

"Is there something going on?" Rylai moved next to the doctor. "Doctor Zharvakko had to leave because of a meeting."

"Ah, yes." His hand stroked his chin. "**That** meeting. It involves something that didn't catch my interest."

"They didn't call for you?"

"They did. I just didn't answer." He laughed, clearly amused at his own actions as the sisters raised their eyebrows at his odd behavior.

The doctor continued leading them, but their movements were halted when they heard a commotion heading their way. Nurses were rushing a gurney towards the emergency room. One of them even dragged doctor Rubick with them, as his services were needed, leaving the sisters to themselves again. Another group came after them, and they recognized one of them as the waitress from the Dark Moon, looking disheveled.

"What's going on?" Rylai asked Shendel, startled as she had not realized the sisters were there.

"There was…" She looked at one of the detectives, waiting for confirmation. When he nodded, she turned back to Rylai. "An assassination attempt."

"At who?"

"A radical activist." One of the detectives answered. "The Guards weren't nearby, so we decided on keeping watch, just in case anything happens." He looked at the doors to the emergency room. "Mortred took the blow, and chased the assassin down."

The sisters gasped. "Mortred? She's the one that's in there?" Shendel nodded. "Who was it?"

"A Veiled Sister." Lina cringed at the answer.

"Them? Why were they after an activist?"

"Nobody knows." Banehallow said. "They've always seemed random when it came to their targets."

"Will Mortred be okay?" Rylai asked, concerned for the baker.

Shendel sighed, still clinging onto the one positive news she had. "Hopefully. She didn't take any serious injuries, but she lost a lot of blood."

Upon getting a better understanding of the situation, both Rylai and Lina decided on staying, providing Shendel some company. The older detective left them, leaving the slightly younger detective with them. Aside from the noise provided by their surroundings, they all waited in silence, Shendel in particular had her face in her hands most of the time. Not too long after, they were joined by Mirana, Luna and Lanaya, the news of Mortred's situation being relayed to them when Shendel was still at Heroes Lane.

"Is there any news on her?" Mirana asked, concerned for both the baker and Shendel's wellbeing.

"Nothing yet. They just took a masked doctor with them."

"Masked?" Lanaya jumped in, the topic of a certain doctor being of interest to her.

Both Rylai and Lina giggled at Lanaya's response. "Yes, Lanaya. It was doctor Rubick." Lina said, embarrassing the part-timer who had not noticed the sisters' presence.

"I'm just curious!" She countered, the answer not being taken seriously by anyone.

"Sure, Lanaya. That's what you always say." Luna said, bring her shoulder around the younger woman. Luna then looked at detective Davion. "Where's the person that did this."

The detective immediately shook his head. "Somewhere." He knew what Luna intended to do. "**We** are going to send her to the City Guard, so this person won't fall into a vigilante's hands." His words subtly directed at Luna.

They stayed together as a group, conversing together as they waited for Mortred. When the time had graced over an hour, doctor Rubick had showed himself as he exited the emergency room, already heading towards the group. Hopeful eyes were upon him as he gave them the news.

"She lost a lot of blood. But she's a fighter, no serious injury, beside her shoulder." A sigh of relief escaped their lips. "It took longer than I expected, as the wounds were almost everywhere; this assassin must be very skilled; but now she's stable."

"Is she awake?" Shendel asked, wanting to know more.

"Oh yes. She woke up when we were patching her up, the drugs apparently had little to no effect on her. She refused to fall asleep after that." As Shendel sat back down, happy of the news, the doctor looked up in thought. "I'm curious, though. Why would an assassin try using a knife of some sort?" his question got their attention. "Wouldn't it be easier to use a firearm of some kind?"

"That's not how the Veiled Sisters work, doctor." Luna answered, with Davion nodding next to her. "They take in little girls off the streets and trained them from a young age. They use knives, daggers and the like because it's easier to acquire than a gun."

"I see. But why did they attack her?"

"They didn't." This time Davion answered. "The Sister targeted some activist, and she was just in the right place at the right time."

The doctor stared at him, then looked up again. "Hm, curious." He said to himself.

"When can she leave?" this time Mirana was the one to ask the question.

"Hospital protocols would need her to take sufficient rest before she could leave. But I think she can before the sun goes down."

As a calmer air filled them, the doctor turned back to the sisters, remembering the initial favor he was doing for Zharvakko. "I still need to check you girls out."

"Don't worry, doctor Rubick. We can handle it from here." Lina answered, as she stood up with the help of Rylai.

"I see. Then I bid farewell." He left the group, wandering off to somewhere else.

Lanaya, looking at the others for reassurance, but didn't want to come off as selfish. Luna, noticing this, gave the part-timer a light nudge on her shoulder, sending her towards the doctor's way. The sisters also bid their farewells, deciding that they had spent too much time in the hospital, leaving the detective with the three employees of the Dark Moon.

As the three women sat back down, he moved to stand in front of Luna. "I didn't know you knew **that** much about the Veiled Sisters."

"I faced off with them before, so it's natural. Besides, one of them happens to be my current roommate."

The detective was surprised. "**You** have a roommate?" He turned to the other two. "Since when did she have a roommate?"

"It's just temporary, detective." Mirana answered. "Her roommate's apartment building is just facing some weird problems."

"We're still talking about Mortred, right?" Davion asked. The three of them nodded, and he nodded back, mostly to himself.

Unbeknownst to them, a nurse slowly approached the group, making her way towards Shendel. "Excuse me, miss."

Shendel looked up, surprised by someone calling her. "Yes?"

"We've given your friend a temporary room, and she said she'd like to see you, and anybody else around."

Shendel smiled, and stood up, followed by Mirana and Luna. Detective Davion decided on sticking with them for the moment, waiting for any new orders Banehallow might give him. With the four of them ready, the nurse then led them to Mortred's room.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

so, i intended on finishing/releasing this chapter earlier than now, but i fell asleep when i was about to write it. ended up taking a 3 hour nap.


	23. Trip to the Zoo!

**Trip to the Zoo!**

Amongst the small group of Dark Moon employees, Mortred had fallen into the spotlight with her recent actions, Selemene especially was proud of the former Veiled Sister in facing her once ally and not flinching one bit. Because of that, Selemene had closed the coffee shop for the day, giving her employees an extra free day. With Luna and Mirana intending on visiting the vet, the unanimous decision was to take a trip to the zoo.

The five women had agreed to meet up after midday, to accommodate with Lanaya's early classes. The other four were already waiting outside at the parking lot. Luna sat alone on her bike, cuddling Nova carefully in her arms. The other three were sitting comfortably in Mirana's car, with the driver herself stroking Sagan's fur while enjoying the tunes on the radio. Shendel was staring at the outside, her mind wandering about as Mortred was taking a nap at the back seat, her body still full of bandages.

Not too soon after, Luna saw Lanaya's approaching figure, briskly walking towards them. The motorcycle's horn used to alert the others.

"Sorry to keep you waiting guys!" Lanaya said as she came to a halt, catching her breath.

"Don't worry, Lanaya. It's a Monday, so I doubt the zoo's going to be crowded." Mirana assured the part-timer. She turned to the others, leading them in.

They made their way towards the vet's office, the two eldest women especially eager, as they knew that they hardly had free time for their cats to get their much needed check up. When they arrived, they found that the office was empty, but they could hear a conversation deeper. Mirana had wanted to make her way to the source, but she was stopped by Luna, the older woman for once using her seniority on the manager.

"Just wait, princess." She said, leading them to the nearby seats.

And so they waited, the vet taking a surprisingly long time with whoever was inside with her. Just as the five of them grew bored, the vet showed herself, with the guest that surprised everyone, except Mirana.

"Ha, you girls didn't say you were having a little field trip here." Sylla said, chuckling as he saw their surprised faces. "And you didn't invite me?"

"Oh, we were just going to have some 'girl time', Sylla. I don't think you'd fit anywhere." Mirana took her opportunity with her jab at the Dark Moon's custodian.

"Oh, what makes you so sure that I can't fit in?"

"Because you're old, gramps." Luna jumped in, also taking shots at the custodian.

Him laughing at their remarks showed that he didn't take the remarks seriously, much to their relief. "Wait a few years and you'll join me, Luna."

"Yeah Luna, you shouldn't make fun of your elders, especially since you're not so different from them." Mortred said, laughing with the others as they joined in.

"Keep it up and you won't join us, Mortred." Luna's light threat was able to shut Mortred up as the laughter around them increased.

But Luna's soft smile showed that it was all in good fun as the others shared a good laugh. When it had receded, Sylla made his way towards the exit, his own appointment already done for the day.

"Don't be too rough on them, Aiushtha." He said before leaving.

"Oh, I won't, you silly bear!" as the room now had the six of them, she turned to her new guests, her radiant smile shining its way to them. "Ah, my most beautiful ladies! And friends!"

"What was Sylla doing, Ench?" Luna questioned as she made her way to the vet with Nova in her hands. Mirana and Sagan tailed behind her.

"He has a pet bear." Mirana said, Luna raised an eyebrow disbelievingly.

"No, the bear isn't his pet." Aiusthat corrected. "It's more like an eternal companion."

"What about that small bear cub?" this time Mirana asked, as the previous visitation still ringing in her mind.

"That little ursa lost his mother, and Sylla, being the old gentle soul he is," the five Dark Moon employees chuckled at the Enchantress' description of their custodian. "rescued him, and brought him to me."

"He sure has a thing for bears." Shendel said from where she sat.

"Even his truck is called a bear." Lanaya reminded, with the others laughing again at the truth.

Through their jolly mood, Aiushtha's gaze landed on Mortred, remembering a thought that she had wanted to do. "You, the hero from yesterday! I didn't get the chance to thank you!" She approached Mortred, who was blushing at the compliment, bringing the baker into a tight hug.

"Oh, it was nothing. The stars just aligned." She said, answering nervously.

"Oh, nonsense. If you weren't there, my friend probably wouldn't be here. He also sends his thanks, by the way. He wanted me to tell you it, he's not good with people."

"What do you mean? He seemed perfectly fine yesterday, in front of a large group of people." Shendel said, as she had witnessed the activist's speech.

"Yes, he can be like that when he gets **really** passionate. But he's actually really introverted."

"You were there yesterday?" Mirana was surprised, the idea that the soft looking vet took part in the rally.

"I told you, I like to take some time being part of that."

"You sure don't look the part." Luna said, eyeing the vet.

"Yes, makes it easier for people to underestimate me." She laughed at her own words, but the others were more creeped out as they had not found it amusing. Noticing that nobody had joined her, she quieted down, feeling slightly embarrassed. "You guys are no fun. Alright, where's Sagan and little Nova? It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"It sure has, and he really doesn't want to be here." Mirana said, holding onto a fidgety Sagan.

"All the more reason for him to be here! And when we're done, I can be your tour guide!"

"What about your job?" Lanaya asked, feeling uncomfortable in taking the vet's time.

"Don't worry. Hardly anybody outside comes to me for veterinary purposes. I can just walk around and have look at the animals if I need to. They won't mind."

And so the enchanting vet took her time in examining the feline companions of the senior Dark Moon employees, the others conversing with each other as they waited. All kinds of topics, barring the sensitive ones, were touched upon, such as the part timer's unusual crush with the twitchy doctor, as much as she tries to deny it. Or the baker's other aspirations before she decided on being a baker. Or the softening exterior of their tough barista.

They had lost track of time, not realizing that more than an hour had passed as the vet had finished her examinations. True to her word, she had decided on becoming their tour guide for the time being, leading them around the zoo, turning heads of the few visitors that had also shown up on a Monday, as the Enchantress' presence had made the surrounding animals acknowledge her, almost as if they were entranced by her.

The moment, however, was lost when they walked into an argument between a dark-skinned man wearing the zoo's uniform and another middle-aged man. The five of them heard the vet sigh, before approaching the two men.

"You're using these animals to promote your religious beliefs, Chen! I demand that you stop this instant, faith is not a bludgeon!"

"You have no proof of that, Purist. I suggest that you leave before you create a scene."

"I am not afraid of bringing the authorities to this, Chen."

"And what of it? We'll see who they'll support more. You, or me."

"Is there anything wrong, boss?" Aiushtha approached the two men, subtlety separating them.

"Aiushtha, good. Get this madman out of our establishment. I have more important things to do."

"Yes, Chen." As the vet's superior left the scene, she turned to face the once enraged man. "Purist, what are you doing? You know better than to make a scene."

He sighed, knowing his mistake. "I know, Aiushtha, but I couldn't stand still while he's just doing what he does."

"It's not going to ever work when you waste time here." She put her hand on his shoulder. "Go back to your church, calm down. It's way better than getting angry at a zoo."

He sighed again. "You're right, I guess I'll just head back. My skills are of no use here anyway." He turned and made his way towards the exit. "Excuse me, ladies." He said as he passed the five of them.

When he was out of ear shot, Mortred turned to the others, her face unnaturally red. "_Oh mon_…"

"What's wrong, Mortred?" Shendel asked, seeing her friend's expression.

"_Rien_, Shendel. Don't think about it."

Both Luna and Mirana chuckled, having a good idea of what Mortred was feeling. Meanwhile, Lanaya had approached the vet, ever so inquisitive. "What was that?"

Aiushtha shook her head. "Just some hellish ordeal. My boss and Purist's church had a fallout, and it somehow involved animals."

"Do you think he's guilty? Of, whatever this is?"

"Maybe. Chen's very religious, and the things he did, even for this zoo, were always in the name of whatever deity he worshipped. It just simply clashed with Purist."

"Sounds like just some religious conflict. What makes you certain that this Chen has some actual blame on him?" This time it was Mirana who asked the question.

Aiushtha looked around, before closing the distance between her and the others. "It's because the animals he took in were always in distress. I had to calm them down, and it took weeks. Whatever he did, it sure isn't good for the animals."

The all shared a disturbed look, as the news of the zoo made them realize that not all is at it seems. As they were in thought, Mortred approached the vet, with a different question in mind.

"Who was that man?"

"Purist?" Mortred nodded. "He's a very active person from his church, he might actually be some sort of chaplain, always taking action."

"Chaplain?" Luna joined the conversation. "Has he actually been in some war?"

"Actually, he has. He took part in the war against the Red Mist before peace was brokered."

"Really?" Luna was pleasantly surprised. "He seems to be doing okay."

"Yeah well, I guess you can say that he has his faith to back him up." Aiushtha shook her head abruptly, before a new sense of determination filled her. "Now, forget about all that stuff! I promised you girls that I'd show you around, and we're getting nowhere when we're talking about someone's crush here."

"What?" Mortred responded, her face reddening and feeling even more embarrassed when the others joined in on the laughter, with Lanaya and Shendel catching on to what the three older women were onto.

"I guess I'm not the only one with a crush with a middle-aged man?" Lanaya said.

"Oh, so you admit that it's a crush?" Mortred said back to her, earning a groan from the part-timer.

The day continued on for the six of them, plus their two cats, filled with lighthearted laughter as they walked around the zoo, already deciding that the time they spent together was worth it.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

another kinda late chapter. had no access to my computer, since i had my room retiled.

oh well, hope you guys enjoy this one!


	24. The King has Come

**The King has Come**

The Dark Moon, for its decade long life, had always had a calm air, attracting only a handful of patrons that were enough to keep it going. It was the perfect scenario for them, especially Selemene. But now, for the first time, the Dark Moon has garnered an above average attention, with a group of paparazzi being held out by their trusted Custodian. Why was this happening?

Just the simple appearance of a monarch.

Sitting comfortably at one of the tables, a cup of decaf still heated on the table as she read a novel with her leg over the other. She wore a red pantsuit and a bright red tank top; her apparel unbecoming of a monarch or her status. Yet a combination of her not caring about the talks of the public, and the fact that she was also a model, made it so the public wouldn't even bat an eyelash at her.

Queen Akasha, wife of the infamous, yet elder King Ostarion, sat in her own little world, not concerning herself with the leery and judgmental eyes of the camera fiends. Sylla was having trouble keeping them out, as the only escort the Queen had was her own personal bodyguard/assistant, who was standing at attention next to her.

Lanaya slowly approached the Queen, the feeling of nervousness and anxiety slowly increasing as she got closer to her. She had never come into contact with a person of such a stature, but she stopped herself for a bit, shaking off whatever nerves she still had, before finally manning up. The Queen looked up from her book when she saw Lanaya approach the table.

"Excuse me, your Majesty. Are you enjoying the coffee?" Lanaya tried her best to sound formal and respectful.

Akasha stared at Lanaya with a blank face, making the part-timer feel anxious again. But a playful smirk formed on the Queen's face. "Maybe another cup, little girl."

Lanaya nodded, giving a light bow before heading back to Luna's station. The others, barring Mortred who was in the kitchen, were also sitting nearby as Lanaya relayed the Queen's orders to the barista. As Luna went on with the order, the other three got close together, all matters of thoughts in their mind.

"Wow, I can't believe that Queen Akasha is actually here." Lanaya still in awe as she sat next to them.

"Why here, thought? Of all places. Dark Moon doesn't exactly attract royalty." Shendel commented.

Lanaya shrugged, slightly agreeing with the senior waitress. "Maybe she just happened to walk by?"

"I guess." The two of them were in their own little world, till Shendel realized that Mirana was in thought. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing…" Mirana tried to get their eyes off her, but failing, finally relenting. "I've just heard a lot; and I mean a **lot**; of rumors about Queen Akasha."

"Like what?" the part-timer questioned, always so curious.

"Like that King Ostarion picked her up from the street."

"What, like took her in when she was a child?" Shendel asked, confused at what Mirana had said.

The manager shook her head. "No. Like she's some street walker."

Lanaya cringed. "You know, that's some serious accusation, Mirana."

"That's just what I've heard!" She said on her defense. "I'm not calling her a whore."

"What else have you heard?" Shendel tried to pry Mirana of more information.

"You know that she's also a model, right?" both Shendel and Lanaya nodded. "They said that she's such a horrible person to work with. They call her the 'Queen of Pain' too."

Lanaya rolled her eyes, not believing in those words the slightest. Shendel, however, was not as confident. "Do you even believe in that?" She asked.

"I don't know. Just that **some** rumors have some merit." She said, justifying the gossip.

"But that's the thing though. They're just **rumors**." Lanaya retorted her hands making air quotations.

"Here, Lanaya." Luna's words jostled the three out of their small private world.

Lanaya looked confused, as the drink that Luna made wasn't another cup of decaf, but in fact a simple latte, with a heart drawn on it. "Luna, Queen Akasha didn't order this."

"Just give it to her." Luna said. Lanaya, feeling that Luna wasn't in the best of moods, picked up the tray and went straight to the Queen.

"Here you go, your Majesty. The latte was complimentary from our barista." She said, hoping that the Queen would accept the drink.

Akasha stared at the drink with indifference, before glancing at the barista, a soft smile forming on her face. Her smile fell when she saw that the barista did not reciprocate the smile.

"Thank you. Tell her that I love it." She said, taking a sip of the latte.

She gave a light bow again, before going back to Luna's station, also sighing in relief. "Wow, Luna. The Queen looks like she actually likes it."

"Yeah, more than the decaf, it looks like." Shendel added.

"Did you know that she'd like it?" Mirana asked, earning a shrug from the older woman.

Luna's odd behavior brought attention from the three women. "Luna, did you actually know that Queen Akasha preferred a latte?" this time Lanaya asked.

Once again, she shrugged. "Luna…" Mirana, channeling her inner Lanaya, was intensely curious. "How did you know that she'd like it."

This time Luna didn't shrug, but she brought her hands onto the counter, allowing the three women to see her holding in the seething rage that was on the verge of bursting. Lanaya felt a sense of déjà vu, remembering that the last time that Luna looked like this was when she just found out about Mortred's past. Mirana herself knew exactly what it felt like to be on the receiving end, as Luna was always angry when Selemene had just brought her in.

"You don't. **Want**. To know." She said, before making her way out of the room.

The three of them looked at each other, both confused and curious as to what had made Luna so angry. Mirana felt particularly sad, as Luna, for the past couple of weeks, had looked the most happiest as she's ever been. The possibility that the anger involved Queen Akasha was high, but they didn't want to blindly speculate.

"You know, we've been talking about Queen Akasha a lot…" Lanaya started, eager to change the subject. "But aren't there even more rumors about King Ostarion?"

Both the manager and the waitress laughed, although Shendel's was more of a chuckle. "I don't think they're rumors anymore, Lanaya." Mirana commented.

"Yeah, there's so many stories about him." Shendel added.

"Really? Like what?" Lanaya asked.

Mirana looked genuinely surprised. "Don't tell me you don't know them?" Lanaya shook her head. "Well, my young friend. One of those stories said that King Ostarion used up a **lot** of the kingdom's funds to find a way for him to prolong his age."

"What?" Lanaya asked disbelievingly.

Shendel nodded. "Yes, they said that he's tried all kinds of practices, like some weird, voodoo spells, or hiring researches to find scientific possibilities of immortality."

"And I'm guessing he found nothing?"

"Yeah." Mirana started to explain. "There's been many decades of protests, but his advisors managed to keep the kingdom's economy from plummeting."

"Other incidents involve him having his own personal harem that he got from the streets." Shendel said, before turning to Mirana. "Is that why people think he also took Queen Akasha from the streets?"

As Mirana nodded, Lanaya asked another question, her curiosity at its peak. "How come he's never been overthrown?"

Both women shrugged. "Despite his rough, and somewhat clumsy rule, he's never actually done anything wrong to the people." Shendel said.

"But I heard he's ordered quite a lot of executions."

Mirana nodded. "Yeah, that did happen. And there was quite the outcry. But it turns out the people he sent to executions were corrupt nobles."

"Who, I'm guessing, were just people who happened to be blocking his path to immortality." Shendel added, with the three of them laughing all the while.

Their gaze went back to the Queen, who had set her book down and was thoroughly enjoying the latte that Luna had made, a serene expression on her face. Her bodyguard was on the phone, with a more serious expression on his. He then turned to the Queen.

"My Queen, the King and Prince are on their way here." All three women's eyes widened.

"Oh? I thought the doctor told him not to go walking around." She commented.

"King Ostarion insisted, ma'am. You of all people should know that it's impossible to stop him from doing anything."

Queen Akasha chuckled. "You're right. Where are they now?"

The bodyguard looked at his watch. "They're actually…" he turned to face the door. "Right outside."

As Queen Akasha's eyes widened, the door was slammed opened, a small child in a school uniform running in, making his way towards the Queen. He brought her into a tight hug, drawing the air out of his mother. Trailing slowly behind him was the King himself, holding himself with a cane. His face looked rough, but it became softer as his eyes set on his wife.

"Hey Leon, how's school?" Akasha asked as she set her son on her lap.

"Boring. The teacher just talked about some mountain all day!" She laughed at her son's whining.

"Which mountain?" she questioned, prying her son for more information.

"I don't know. Something about Mt. Joerlak."

"What happened at Mt. Joerlak?"

"Uhm…" Leon looked up, thinking hard about what he had learned in school, before lighting up. "It erupted!"

"Very good." Akasha hugged her son, before he moved to his own seat next to her. "You shouldn't have gotten off your bed, Ostarion."

The King bellowed a laugh, although happy with his wife's concern. "I won't stay cooped up in some box."

"Good afternoon, my King." Lanaya once again greeting the royalties. "Can I get you anything?"

"Black coffee!" he ordered with gusto.

Queen Akasha shook her head. "No, Ostarion. You're not allowed coffee. Doctor's orders."

"Bah, why do you people still care so much about my health? Let an old man have his fun!" both the monarchs laughed, with Lanaya laughing with them, although not as loud. "Fine. Give me whatever my lovely wife is having."

Lanaya nodded and turned to the prince. "Do you want anything, honey?"

"Hot chocolate, nice lady!" Akasha smiled at the child's behavior. But she turned her gaze to the counter, and sighed with relief when she saw Luna back at her station, her face still very wet.

"Okay, I'll be right back."

Making her way back and giving Luna the orders, she turned to face the two older women.

"They don't seem like what the stories say." Lanaya said.

"Yeah, she also seems like a good mother." Mirana added. "Huh. Never thought of that."

"This is why people shouldn't gossip." Luna commented behind them.

The three of them nodded, feeling slightly guilty of what they had talked about earlier.

_Later that Night_

Luna was walking out the backdoor of the Dark Moon, volunteering the duty on taking the night's trash. It was quiet a haul, as even she was having difficulty in putting it in the dump. Through all this, she had not noticed the figure that was silently watching her.

"Hey Luna. How've you been?" the figure asked.

Luna flinched, her face already contorting with anger. She turned to face the intruder with her fists clenched.

"_Akasha_." Luna said through gritted teeth.

"Look. I know it's been years, but I'd like to apolo-" a fist connected to Akasha's face, flinging her towards the wall.

"How **dare** you show your face here?!" Luna yelled, looking even more angry than she's ever been.

Queen Akasha, looking worried for her life, merely closed her eyes and took a deep breath, preparing herself for the inevitable onslaught that she no doubt deserves.


	25. Queen's Choice

**Queen's Choice**

The bright moonlight illuminated the night sky, making its celestial presence known to the people as they trekked under it, most heading towards to call it a day while some had just started their shifts. There were other sorts of activities happening unbeknownst by society, while most chose to ignore it, thinking better than to come close to such an influence.

It just so happens that behind the Dark Moon was a scene that not many would get to see. Queen Akasha was leaning on the wall, her eyes still closed, anticipating more than just a simple punch. Her erratic breathing had settled as she calmed herself down. She stood there, waiting for what felt like an eternity, yet whatever Luna was about to do, it didn't come.

She slowly opened her eyes to see what was holding the enraged barista back, but Luna hadn't moved since her outburst. She still held her fists, but Akasha could clearly see that it was Luna herself that was holding back. The years under Selemene's influence had softened her up, to Akasha's relief.

"You… After all this time… Why?" Luna questioned.

Akasha was slightly confused, not quite understanding what Luna meant. "What do you mean?"

"Ten years, Akasha…" Luna closed the distance, her face mere centimeters from Akasha's. "You left me for dead, ten years ago. And **now** you show up?!"

She grabbed Akasha by her hair, throwing the Queen to the ground. The Queen's attire made the impact more painful than it should have been, her face cringing in pain as her skin scraped the pavement. Before she could react, Luna jumped on top of her, pinning Akasha down by holding the Queen's neck in hand, her other hand drawn back.

"Why? **WHY**? If you never showed up, I would've…" Luna's breathing became erratic. "I would've…" all thoughts stopped when she realized that Akasha had barely reacted. "Why aren't you even trying to fight back?"

A sad chuckle escaped Akasha's lips. "I've never been a fighter. You of all people should know that."

"But I'm…" Luna's voice started cracking. "I'm assaulting the Queen… You could have me executed…"

Akasha breathed in a lungful of air. "I'm not going to do that. Go ahead. I'll take everything."

Luna's fist started trembling, the weight of the situation finally dawning on her. Akasha was not expecting Luna to turn out like this. From what she remembered, Luna was never an emotional person, and crying was the last thing she'll ever do. Yet, her she was on top of her, her fist falling as tears slowly streamed down her face.

The dam holding Luna's tears finally broke down. "You… Why? You were the only person I trusted. You and Tresdin." The hand holding Akasha by her neck move to the ground as her other hand covered her eyes, trying to hold the tears in place. "You, leaving me there…"

Akasha brought the barista down to her level, holding her as she cried. Ten years was enough for both of them to be complete opposites of who they were back then. The _Scourge of the Plains_ and the manipulative bitch hiding in the shadows, now a successful barista amongst close friends and a queen and a mother of two. As much as the truth hurt, it was Akasha's decision to turn tail that lead them here.

A decision that shook her heart when she had none.

_10 Years ago_

The slums of the city stood in disrepair and disarray, a land where dog eats dog as not even the City Guards would step inside, knowing that their kind were not welcomed by anyone. Areas were often contested by rival gangs, as turf wars were events that happened daily. The underground held even more powers that had seldom shown themselves, content with just observing the ordeals that the 'lesser' gangs go through.

And so, through the dirtied streets, a red sedan parked itself in front of a decayed building. A young man in a red hoodie got out of it, turning to whoever was inside the car for reassurance, as he was still uncomfortable with the task that had been given to him. The backseat window opened, a briefcase being held out for the young man to take. Sighing, he reluctantly took the briefcase before heading inside the building.

The interior was in a worse state than the exterior, as most of the walls weren't even there. Foundations were held in place by planks and duct tape, making the young man feel unsafe just being inside it. He bumped into a tanned man as he made his way up, wearing a white shirt with a brown vest and pantsuit. The scarred eye that glared at him showed experience.

"Excuse me." He said, rushing downstairs, no doubt making his way out of the building.

The young man barely had time to respond before he was left alone in the stairwell, deciding on continuing heading upwards. It wasn't long till he reached the top floor, but finding the room would prove to be a task itself. Hearing grunts of pain from the distance clued him on its location, as he made way towards it. Shouts of pain from in the room made him hesitate, but he had a job to do, so he lifted his hand and knocked on the door.

The person answering the door was not who he was expecting; a woman with alabaster skin, wearing only a red bra and red shorts. She looked irritated at his presence.

"What do you want?" she asked him.

He glanced inside, seeing piles of beaten men on the ground, and another still tied to a chair, battered and bruised. "What's going on?" he asked.

"Nothing." She answered. "Just teaching some Nightstalkers who they're messing with."

The young man chuckled, pleased at what the Nightstalkers were going through, before remembering his original task, handing the woman the briefcase.

"What is this?"She asked again.

"Gifts from the Flayed Ones." He answered, smiling all the while. "For the _Scourge of the Plains_."

The woman raised her eyebrow. "Really? What brought this on?"

"Because we have mutual goals." He told her. The woman laughed, before heading inside again, leaving the door wide open.

With the full view, he got the perfect view, seeing the woman that everybody feared constantly beating on the tied Nightstalker. She wore a red shirt, yet the blood splatters were still visible. With one last punch, she sent the tied man down on the floor with the chair, her expression that of tranquil fury, before disappearing from sight. The woman from earlier appeared once more, handing the young man a different briefcase.

"What's your name?" she asked as he opened it, inspecting what was inside.

A collection of hunting knives, something that the Flayed Ones would love. He closed the briefcase, before meeting the woman's gaze. "Strygwyr."

"Well, Strygwyr. Tell your Flayed Ones that the _Scourge of the Plains_ enjoys the gift."

"Understood." He said, before making his way from the room, briskly walking down the stairs.

The woman then closed the door, her mouth open wide as she yawned, before turning to face the woman of the hour, washing the bloodstains from her hands.

"We're leaving." She said as she dried her hands.

"Why in such a rush, Luna?"

"Nightstalkers will come here, and I'm betting they're not too happy at what I just did." Luna said, earning a chuckle from the other woman.

"Since when do you care about them?"

"Since the odds are against me, Akasha." She answered, annoyed at Akasha's behavior.

"You won't get away with this, bitch." They heard the tied man say, still coughing up blood.

Luna approached him, crouching down to his level, taking a brass knuckled from his pocket. "I think I am, Balanar. Maybe I'll leave you something to remember me by." She said as she pressured the brass knuckle on the middle on his forehead, slowly and painfully dragging it down.

Akasha merely waited at the door with the briefcase in hand as she saw the man squirming in pain by the torture that Luna would usually let Akasha handle. Knowing how pissed off the woman was, especially at the Nightstalkers, Akasha let Luna have her moment of fun.

When she finished, Luna left him, and his brethren, on the floor, moving out of the room with Akasha behind her. They soon made their way out of the rundown building, moving straight to a beat up car, driving off to an empty area.

"What is that?" Luna asked as she drove.

"A gift from the Flayed Ones." Akasha answered as she opened the briefcase.

"Flayed Ones?"

"The heads of the Bloodseekers. They gave us some cocaine."

"What are we gonna do with that?" Luna asked. "I don't like touching that shit."

Akasha shrugged. "Dunno. Maybe we can sell it to one of the families?"

Luna scoffed, rolling her eyes at the suggestion. "Like their kind would even come close to me."

"We don't have to go to them directly." She closed her eyes in thought, thinking of a plan. "How about the Doombringers? They're an underground front for the Angelo Family."

"If you think it'll work." Luna slowed down, parking the car at the side of the road. "Where are they?"

"Some of the Doombringers hang out in the abandoned water park." Akasha smiled, already happy with where the plan was heading.

With that, Luna set off to their new destination.

It wasn't long till they were waiting next to an empty pool for further news, as the Doombringer scouts were waiting for further orders from the Angelo Family. Akasha was almost fidgety with anticipation, while Luna was still, her face black of expressions yet people could see the rage from her eyes. When one of the Doombringers emerged from their makeshift office, carrying the briefcase, Akasha stood up, followed slowly by Luna.

"Well?" Akasha looked almost giddy.

"The Father would like to meet you two personally." Akasha was in glee, even though Luna was uncomfortable with the arrangement. "You can meet him at warehouse 666 at the docks." He said as he handed Akasha back the briefcase.

"Let's go Luna!" Akasha said as she dragged Luna to their car.

"Akasha, something feels wrong about this." Luna protested, still feeling hesitant.

"Trust me, this will work out fine! When have I ever been wrong? My judgments are always spot on."

"Then why did Tresdin leave?"

Akasha scoffed. "That bitch couldn't handle our lifestyle. Which is why she's slaving her ass of in the military."

"Akasha…"

"Luna, listen." They stared at each other, red eyes against indigo, as Luna wanted reassurance. "Trust me."

Luna sighed, giving in to the idea and putting her uncertainty behind. "Alright, Akasha. I trust you."

"Good. Now let's go!"

It was midnight when they arrived at the docks, still taking their time in finding the warehouse. When they finally reached it, they saw three red colored vehicles just outside of the building. They got out of the car, walking inside the warehouse, mostly dark as the light bulbs were running out of their charge. It was, for the most part empty; only a few crates lay here and there. In the middle of the room was a table, with a lamp that illuminated the surrounding area.

When they approached the table, the saw armed men in suits and another, much larger man, sat in front of the table, looking pleased at the two women's arrival. He had a bulky frame, wearing a suit with mostly black colors, accented with red and grey. He had a devilish grin when Akasha opened the briefcase, showing him the contents.

"There you go. Just like we agreed." Akasha said, with Luna behind her, still looking uncomfortable.

"Hm, yes." He said as he examined the product, his deep voice shaking Akasha to her core.

"So, can we work something out, Mr. Angelo?"

The man chuckled, standing up and towering over the two women. "Please, call me Lucy." He closed the briefcase. "This is quiet the product. I don't normally take part in these exchanges."

"They were actually gifts, for my friend here." Akasha gestured to Luna, who gave a light nod.

"Ah, yes. The _Scourge of the Plains_. A pleasure to see. Although you don't look as menacing as I thought you'd be."

"I doubt anything could look menacing compared to your stature, Lucy." Akasha commented, with Lucy giving a bellowing laugh in return.

"Yes, I think we can come up with a deal." The sounds of sirens interrupted him before he could say more.

Akasha looked around, a feeling of nervousness creeping up as the sounds got louder. Luna cursed, the thought that she could've avoided the situation they were in right now.

"What? How did they know?" Akasha asked, to no one in particular. The sound of Lucy's deep laugh got her attention.

"That's because I called them." Akasha's eyes widened, while Luna only held her fists, wishing she had a gun of some sorts. "Did you know, that the City Guards were willing to pay, **handsomely**, I might add, to anyone that can capture the _Scourge of the Plains_? I just couldn't resist."

"You son of a bitch!" Luna yelled as she approached him, but a shot from one of his men stopped her movement. She dragged Akasha to cover as the others also started shooting.

"You three, make sure they don't leave." Lucy said as he moved towards the exit.

"Shit, shit shit!" Akasha cursed, not believing the situation she was in.

"Stay down!" Luna said, grabbing the arm of one of Lucy's men as he approached them, grabbing his gun in the process.

She shot him point blank at his thighs, sending him collapsing on the ground, before moving off to a different crate to move the attention away from Akasha. When the bullets followed her, even grazing her shoulder, she started firing back. She couldn't see particularly well in the dark; especially with the glare of light from the lamp; but she managed to catch one of them by his abdomen, bringing him down as he clutched his wound.

Luna then charged straight to the last man, the shots almost grazing her, with one bullet hitting her leg, sending her barreling towards the man, knocking him out in the process. Luna tried to stand up, but settled with shifting her weight on the crate. When she felt the pain recede, she looked around the room.

"Akasha! Let's get out of here!" she called out, but she got no response. "Akasha?"

"Way ahead of you!" she heard from across the building. Akasha had made her way to the other side of the warehouse. Luna was about to move towards her when the doors blew up, sending her to the ground.

"_**Scourge of the Plains**! Surrender now, and we can end this peacefully!_" she heard a female voice from outside.

Some of the City Guards were slowly entering the warehouse, and Luna, for the first time, felt herself panic under the stress of the situation. She turned to face Akasha, who looked worse than her.

"Akasha! Help!" she called out, but Akasha stood still. "Akasha, please! I can't move!"

But Akasha was torn. She wanted to save Luna, but the City Guards were already piling up inside the warehouse, slowly descending on Luna's prone figure. Her flight instincts won her internal fight, with her turning her back on Luna and running for her own life. She heard Luna screaming her name as she left the warehouse. Tears were slowly trickling down her face as the possibility that she had sent Luna to her death were laid bare in front of her.

But this was the decision she had made, and she couldn't turn back on it, running for her dear life like she's never done before, finally making her way out of the docks and into some place safer. She was leaning on a lamppost, catching her breath. Her vision was blurry, her body too exerted as she wasn't always a physical person. When she had decided to move again, she bump a man, sending her down to the pavement.

She was about to yell out her frustration, but it died out at the edge of her tongue when her had cleared up and she saw who it was she actually bumped into.

"Well, well. Look at what we have here." The rough, elderly voice said as he straightened himself with his cane.

"Your Majesty, are you alright?" his bodyguard asked, eyeing Akasha.

"I'm fine, ya buffoon. What I want to know is why there's a half naked woman on the ground." Ostarion said.

"I think she was running away from a crime scene." Akasha flinched when the bodyguard said his observations. "Possibly from there." He pointed at the docks, blue and red lights shining in the sky.

"Hm, interesting." Ostarion stared at Akasha, deep in thought, leaving the woman to think of the worst outcomes that would happen. Finally, with a laugh, he turned around, before finally ordering his bodyguard. "Take her with us. We'll see if she's useful."

"What if she's not?" his body guard asked as he picked Akasha up.

"Well, then I guess I'll be doing the City Guards a favor."

Akasha closed her eyes and let the tears flowed freely, thinking that her life had come to an end.

_Present_

Both women were sitting in front of the dumpster, dried tears ruining their makeup. Queen Akasha's face still had the mark that Luna's fist left. Both were unsure on how to proceed as the atmosphere made it uncomfortable for the both of them. It was the Queen to break the ice first.

"I'm sorry, Luna." She apologized, sounding genuine, unlike her from ten years ago. "I know you probably won't accept it, but that's the only thing I can give you."

"I know." Luna responded, her own voice sore.

"In a way, I should've listened to you. You had a bad feeling about the meeting, and you were right." Akasha wiped her eyes, strained from the nonstop tears.

"You should've."

"But, if you look at it one way… if it weren't for me ditching you, we wouldn't be in this situation, right?" Luna stared at Akasha, the subject at hand still too sensitive. "If it wasn't like that, you wouldn't be here, under the great guidance of the coffee shop's owner. And I wouldn't be here; married to the King, and giving him the offspring he wanted so badly."

Luna's expression was still blank, before a sad sigh escaped her. "Why were you the one that matured first?"

Akasha looked surprised for a brief moment, before laughing at the statement. "Being a mother would do that to you."

They stared at each other again, before Akasha brought Luna into a tight hug, fresh tears still threatening to slip past.

"I'm sorry." She said through muffled sobs. "Nothing I can do now to change the past. All I can do is apologize." Luna returned the hug, her own tears about to burst again. "Ten years ago, all I saw was someone that I had in my hands. A pawn. Now? I just want to have a friend."

Akasha waited, hating the silence between them. But when she felt Luna nod, her heart lighted up, a feeling of joy she's never felt, only rivaled by her children's birth. They sat there, still in a tight hug, before finally standing up.

"How's Tresdin?" Luna asked, surprising the Queen.

"What?"

"Isn't she a commander now?"

Akasha was confused. "Yeah... What of it?"

"I'm sure the commander would've been invited by the King for a special occasion, right?"

At this, Akasha laughed, remembering that very occasion. "Actually, yes. Ostarion did invite her to dinner. She also punched me when she saw me."

"Good. You deserve more punches." They shared a laugh, enjoying the brief moment they're having. "Is she doing anything else?"

"Other than being so tight assed?" Luna laughed, before nodding along. "She's making sure my kids don't end up like us."

"She's always had that moral compass."

"She sure does."

Akasha hugged Luna again, who was taken aback by the surprise embrace.

"I wasn't kidding when I said I wanted a friend, Luna. I've told my kids a lot about you. They'd like to meet you."

Luna sighed, holding Akasha at arm's length. "When things are better between us."

"Okay."

Unbeknownst to the two women, a certain curious part-timer was on the other side of the door, eavesdropping on a conversation that she regretted to listen to. Mirana's disproving look made her feel even worse, as she was dragged by the manager, to contemplate on the things that she ended up keeping a secret.

But, at the very least, **now** she knows why Luna made the latte.


	26. Red, Black and White

**Red, Black and White**

A short time had passed since the appearance of the Kingdom's two monarchs, and the Dark Moon went back to its serene atmosphere. The owner of the establishment had been particularly busy with some personal matters that not even the manager and the barista knew what was going on. It wasn't until the morning of an early day that the employees found out what Selemene had been doing all this time.

With how things have been going for her employees, the one who arrived first was Mortred. Always wanting an early start to her day, she'd either be the first, or the second to arrive at the coffee shop. She was surprised, however, when she saw that Selemene and Sylla were already at the coffee shop; specifically, Sylla was changing the Dark Moon's sign, with Selemene watching over his work.

"Selemene? What are you doing here early?" She asked, knowing that her boss hardly ever appeared before midday.

"Ah, Mortred!" Selemene brought an arm around the baker, her other arm spread, directed at the sign. "Do you like it?"

Mortred stared at the sign, trying to see what changes were done, and realized there was a subtitle under the name that read "Blessed by the King and His Queen". She looked back at Selemene, a proud expression spread across her face, feeling happy with the result. A sentiment that Sylla did not share as he got down the ladder, before making his way to the back.

"Really?" was Mortred's deadpan response, not impressed by her boss' glee.

"I know! This will boost our standings!" she responded, either oblivious to Mortred's reaction, or uncaring.

"But I thought you didn't want Dark Moon to get too much attention." Mortred said.

"I don't. Just nice bragging rights to other coffee shops out there." A jovial laugh escaped her mouth as she entered the coffee shop, with Mortred following behind her.

As per usual, Mortred would lock herself up in the kitchen, spending hours upon hours creating the wondrous pastries that she's known for. She would often lose track of time, having no way of keeping it in the kitchen. She only took a break when she heard a knock on the door. She stopped what she was doing to greet the guest/intruder of her sanctuary. She wasn't the least bit surprised when it was Sylla that showed himself.

"Are you baking anything now?" he asked.

She turned around, observing the kitchen, before answering him. "Not at the moment. Was just about to."

"Good. Get." He said, once again pulling her out of the kitchen, before locking her out of it.

She didn't bother complaining, knowing that she couldn't win against the older man. Even if she resorted to violence, with the skills she learned, she still wasn't sure. Sylla was old, a man with time and experience. _Merde_ she thought, the lose and lose situation bringing her down.

With nothing else to do, Mortred settled with sitting on a stool next to Luna, who just so happened to be busy wiping the glasses. Her back was facing the door, her mind somewhere else. Mortred just sat, staring at the barista for what felt like hours on end. The door opening caught her eye, a sharp dressed man entering.

His dark skin meshed well with his black and red suit, a black horned hat adorned on top of his head. His yellow eyes carried superiority, as if it stared directly into one's soul. Their eyes met briefly, and a grin from his face sent shivers down; and not the good kind, as she felt a bit of herself wanting to hide behind Luna. The man approached the counter and sat on the stool.

"Excuse me, **Luna**." Mortred felt Luna flinch. "May I order a drink?"

Mortred glanced at Luna, seeing the barista close her eyes as her breathing became erratic, her body started shaking. Mortred was scared for Luna, fearing the woman might fall into another rage. She held Luna's hand, trying to calm the older woman. It felt like it wasn't going to work until Selemene appeared, putting a hand on Luna's shoulder. That had successfully calmed her down, but Mortred saw that Selemene had the most venomous expression she's ever seen.

"Mr. Angelo, what a pleasant surprise." Selemene said through gritted teeth. "What do you want?"

"What? Am I not allowed to have a drink?" a dark and deep chuckle came from him, one that disrupted Mortred to her very core.

"Not when the customer disrupts my business." Selemene crossed her arms over her chest.

The man stood up, towering over them, even Selemene who was taller than Luna. But Luna barely responded, still staring the man down. The man kept on chukling.

"What can you even do to stop me?" he challenged, spreading his arms apart. "You know I control more than you can even comprehend."

"I won't let you touch your filthy hands on my haven."

"We'll see."

"That is enough, Angelo." Another figure had appeared at the door, wearing a black Kevlar body armor and a red suit underneath. His knees and elbows were padded, as he wore a helmet that covered his face, although the inside of his helmet looked like it was glowing orange.

The man slowly approached the rest, brandishing a baton. He pulled the supposed crime lord back by his shoulder. The armored man was not as big as Mr. Angelo, but he held a sense of honor, enough to challenge the bigger man.

"Order your drink, and go." The armored man ordered.

Angelo frowned, his expression enough to melt those who stared at him, but there was some sort of respect for an unseen authority the armored man conveyed.

"The blackest knight appears to save the day." He said, spitting the name. He turned to Luna, who had collected herself and was now staring back at him. "Black Coffee."

"Done." Luna immediately answered, handing the cup over to the crime lord.

Taking the beverage, he left the Dark Moon, rushing out of the building where he was not welcomed in. The armored man took the seat that was occupied before, staring at the three women with indifference. Luna, with one last breath, left her counter heading straight to the restroom, leaving Mortred between the odd looking man and her boss, who was smiling.

"Odd to see you here, CK." Selemene greeted, her hands now on her hips.

"The presence of chaos is strong within this land." He said, his hand clasped under his chin. "I would rather the chaos exist in an orderly manner."

"By your hands?" the armored man chuckled.

"Precisely."

Mortred felt left out and confused at how close both of them looked. Luna had came back from the restroom, her face still wet. Selemene turned to her barista, whispering something to Luna's ear. With a nod from Luna, she went to her counter as Selemene left the room once more.

"Who are you?" Mortred asked.

The armored man turned to face her, the glowing visor shedding an ominous glow as he eyed her. "I am, an existence of pure chaos. A sign of an unstoppable force of nature."

"What?" Mortred asked, confused at what the armored man had said.

"Here you go, sir." Luna said, offering the man an odd looking orange drink. Mortred was even more surprised that Luna used an honorific at the strange man.

"Thank you." He took a straw that was provided, drinking the beverage under his helmet.

Mortred looked back at the older woman, looking for information, but Luna just shook her head, uncomfortable at where the subject was heading. She turned back to face the man again, still unmoving, only his beverage slowly diminishing. She turned back to Luna, a different question in mind.

"Who was that man from before, Luna?" she asked. "He seemed to know you."

When Luna flinched just from being reminded of him, Mortred almost regretted her question. But the armored man answered the question for her.

"Mr. Angelo, head of the Angelo family. Likes to go by the name, Lucy."

"Lucy?"

"Yes." He took another sip from his drink. "It's a shortened name from his actual name."

"What's his actual name?"

The armored man shook his head. "It is better that you did not know, young lady."

Mortred squinted her eyes, still feeling a little out of the loop. "And, is this person going to cause a problem?"

The man was silent for what felt like an eternity, before finally answering her. "Possibly."

Mortred sighed, feeling like she was getting nowhere, talking to the armored wall in front of her. She was startled when she felt Luna's hand on her shoulder, turning to face the barista for clarification.

"Just leave it, Mortred." She said, a disapproving look on her face. "There are some things that we are not meant to know, or even understand."

"What?" Mortred clutched her head as a migraine formed. "_Merde_, Luna. This all doesn't make any sense!"

"I know, Mortred. But I don't think we'll ever understand." Luna sighed. A sad, defeated sigh. "We're only human?"

"And what does that make him?" Mortred questioned, earning an ominous chuckle from the armored man.

The door opened again, a frail looking old man dressed in white entering the coffee shop, carrying bottles of clear water with him. He had an odd glow around him, according to Mortred as she observed him. She realized that what he wore was more of a robe than anything. His white beard grew out, as his piercing blue eyes stared through them. He then sat himself next to the armored man.

"Ezalor." The armored man greeted, giving a slight nod.

"Good afternoon, older brother." The older looking man replied, surprising the two women.

"And a fine afternoon to you, Luna. Tis a shame your light could not be reflected by the moon."

Luna blushed at the compliment, with a thought forming in Mortred's head.

"Do you know him?" she asked.

Luna shook her head. "Never met this old man in my entire life."

"Then… Wha?"

"Ah, to share this day with such a beauty is an honor, Mortred."

Now it was Mortred who blushed, but she had more questions than answers, feeling like she was being toyed with by these elder people.

"How do you know my name?" she asked.

"There are many things I know. And many things I also don't know."

"Like what?" She prodded on.

"Like what my older brother is planning on doing." He turned to face the armored man, who in turn looked back at him. "What is your plan today?"

"I will simply ride Armageddon, and I will weed out the imperfections."

Mortred clutched her head, already unable to handle the amount of information that was being traded between the two 'brothers', who she was inclined to not believe. She felt hands on her shoulder, directing her away from the room. She was lead straight to the break room, where she sat down next to Lanaya, who was reading one of her text books.

Luna sat at the other side of the table, as Lanaya looked up at them, eyebrows raised in mild curiosity.

"You've dealt with this before, Luna?" Mortred asked.

Luna shrugged. "I only saw the black knight once. And I never talked to him."

"What are they? Please tell me they're at least human."

"I'm not even sure, Mortred. Selemene told me to not think too much about it, like what you're doing now."

Luna sighed, feeling empathy for the baker. "Just take a nap. It'll be better soon."

Mortred took heed to Luna's advice, lying her head down on her arms. It wasn't too long till she embraced the rest her pressured mind needed, leaving the baker and the confused part-timer alone in the break room.

"Uh, Luna? What's going on?" Lanaya asked, setting her text book down.

"Oh, nothing." Luna answered, earning a laughable glare from the college student. "Maybe when you're older."


	27. Exam Week

**Exam Week**

The Dark Moon has been through a rough past few days, both for the good and the bad. The land was beset with a torrential storm, yet the atmosphere inside did not reflect the somber feel created by it. The small number of patrons in the coffee shop allowed the Dark Moon employees to enjoy their free time.

Luna was nowhere to be seen, instead it was Lanaya sitting and the barista's station, reading one of her textbooks, taking notes on the side. Mirana had offered the college student a few weeks out of work, but Lanaya was adamant in staying in the coffee shop. It's the reason why her close group of friends; the sisters, the foreign masked student and the annoying troll; were on the other side of the counter, also studying.

Shendel and Mirana occupied one of the empty tables, conversing together whilst drinking tea that Luna had made for them. They were also enjoying themselves with Mortred's croissants, the heavenly pastries filling their stomach. They caught some looks from the few patrons, but they were in their own little world, ignorant to those eyes. Sylla sitting with them was probably the main reason, reading a book and not really noticing the two women next to him.

The door opened as two people appeared outside, shaking the rain off as they went inside. One of them was thin and lanky, wearing a cap that covered his eyes as he put out his cigarette, putting it in his shirt pocket. The other one was slightly overweight, but was taller than his friend wearing thick glasses that were positioned on his forehead. He carried a bag almost 2/3rds his size that was constantly shaking. The only person to glance at them was Lanaya, tiding up her pile of books when the two people went over to her.

It was Jah'rakal, though, that greeted the two. "Hey, it's the Techies!"

"Man, I heard you guys were wasting time at some coffee shop, but I didn't know it was **this** place." The chubbier of the two said.

"Yeah. Making a secret study group for next week's exam." The thinner one added. "A lot of people also want to join, you know."

"It's a secret for a reason, Squee." Lanaya told him, her finger on making a shushing gesture on her lips.

"You're welcome to join, though!" Rylai said enthusiastically, as the two found a place to sit.

"Great. **More** people." Her sister commented, leaning her cheek on her hand.

"Calm down, sis. At least these guys are smart, so that'll make things easy!"

"But this is philosophy!" she countered. "It's the one class **all** of us share! I doubt these guys could add much."

"Hey, that's uncalled for!" the chubbier one complained.

"Don't worry about it, Spleen." Yurnero said, calming their smaller classmate. "She's just having a hard time in philosophy."

Lina groaned, being reminded of her predicament. Lanaya turned to the Techies. "Do you guys want a drink?"

"You can make drinks?" Spleen asked with widened eyes.

Lanaya shook her head before she answered him. "No, but I'm sure Luna wouldn't mind."

"Who's Luna?" Squee asked.

Jah'rakal felt his spine shiver at the thought of the barista. "A very scary woman."

"No she's not." Rylai said, giving Jah'rakal a disapproving look. "She's like a mama lioness. Soft, but deadly when you mess with her young."

"Yes. **Scary**." the other four sighed at Jah'rakal's insistence and paranoia.

"Who's scary?" Jah'rakal was startled of his seat when he heard the barista behind him. The others laughed as he got himself back up.

"He's saying you scares the crap out of him." Lina said, making the barista smirk, drawing her face closer to the frightened Jah'rakal.

"Good." Luna said, her smirk making Jah'rakal gulp. She straightened herself, turning to the two new college students. "What do you two want?"

"Decaf." Thinner of the two ordered. "Gonna stay up all night."

"Can you make milk?" his friend asked.

"Sure."

"Yay! Then I'll take anything, please!"

"Same with me!" she heard someone behind the chubby student said. She furrowed her brows and tilted her head, making out a pair of hands inside the bag. She shrugged and went straight to work.

"So what are you guys having trouble with?" Lanaya asked.

Squee shrugged while Spleen scratched his head. "I don't know." He said. "We could never get higher than a C."

"Man, if only Spoon got accepted. He's always been good at this philosophical shit." Squee said.

Spleen nodded at the statement. "Yeah, such a shame he failed the entrance exam."

"I'm still right here, guys." A voice said from inside Spleen's bag.

"You know, sometimes it feels like he's just around us." Spleen said.

"I know what you mean, my friend." Squee added.

The other five looked at each other with raised eyebrows, still confused at the Techies' ignorance and obliviousness. They've met Spoon before, and he was the more insightful of the trio. At first they were surprised as to why he was never around, until they realized that he's been in Spleen's bag the whole time. They questioned the other two, but they sounded genuinely confused when they were questioned about Spoon.

"So, shall we continue off where we stopped?" Rylai asked the group, changing the subject. "Or start back from the beginning?"

She heard Lina groan beside her. "See? This is why I didn't want more people!"

"Don't worry, Lina. I'm sure it'll help you absorb all this crap." Jah'rakal commented.

"Like you're one to talk, Jah'rakal." She countered.

The renowned troll shrugged. "I don't care about my grades. All I care is to effing troll **all** of you into oblivion!" he continued with a bellowing laugh that started to annoy the group.

"Oh, so help me Jah'rakal. If you keep on doing this, I'll…"

"You'll what, Lina? Have Rylai try and punch me?"

"No. I'll have Luna beat you to bits. Again."

"I don't mind doing that." Luna said, bringing the Techies' their drinks.

"Hey, that's not fair! You can't just ask this crazy woman to do your dirty work!" He responded, sweat trickling down. But he was punched again on his nose, sending him down on the floor.

"Luna. Don't hit the patrons." Mirana commented, although she barely glanced at the scene.

"I can do much, **much** worse. Are you really willing to push it?" Luna said, leaning on the counter as she observed the groaning Jah'rakal, clutching his nose.

"See? Don't mess with me." Lina said, happy with the troll's literal downfall.

"Get back to studying. I want my spot back once you guys are done." Luna said as she made her way out of the room.

"No problem, Luna!" Lanaya answered.

She joined in with the others in laughing at Jah'rakal as he got himself back up, handing him a tissue when she saw blood slowly trickle down his nose. He scowled at his 'friends', annoyed at how much glee they found in the barista beating him down.

Just more reasons for him to never come back to the Dark Moon.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**Edit:**

DK yeah, i know. i just thought that CK would work as a nickname. plus he seems like the type of person who won't be telling people his name.


	28. Little Roc's Tale

**Little Roc's Tale**

The city of Elze, capital of the Kingdom, was situated near natural wonders. The water around and beneath the docks home to exotic marine creatures as the coldest coral reefs served as their deep home. Deeper inland, around the city itself, was a mountain range that shielded the city from outside forces, be it natural or not. There are even decayed fortresses that were once used, now merely showcasing the husk of their former selves of things that were.

On the mountain range itself, near the top of Vegrandis Peak, the six Dark Moon employees were spending their weekend on a small hiking trip, a picnic with the full view of the city in their sights. As soon as they reached their destination, they stretched themselves before spreading around the land, making themselves comfortable.

They even dressed appropriately too.

Sylla, as Selemene's favor, went along to make sure nothing would happen to three of the girls (as he was sure that the baker and the barista could handle themselves). He looked uncharacteristically gloomy, as his plan on bringing his ursine companion with him did not bear fruit, as the vet was adamant in Sylla not doing anything drastic (and stupid).

Lanaya was the most blissful of the bunch, having gone through her exam week and was looking forward to spending leisure time without a care in the world. She wore a light pink shirt and purple jeans, attire she found out later not to be suited with their little trip. But arriving at their destination had given her time to gather herself, before she stood at the edge of the cliff, leaning on the railing while overlooking the city of Elze.

Shendel was standing in front of a large wooden statue of a blue bird, observing its shape, its curves. She had a melancholic expression when her gaze fell on the statue's spread wings. She wore a blue sundress, with an indigo scarf draped across her back, shielding her from the sun's intense morning gaze.

Mortred, having already set up the all the things she had brought on the picnic table, was going through all the pastries she had made, making sure none of them were bad. She wore a loose aquamarine tanktop, with a black jacket on top and brown slacks. She also wore a black cloche on her head.

Mirana moved to stand beside Lanaya, with Sagan resting snugly in a brown bag that she had brought along for him. She was dressed in a blue shirt and lighter blue short jeans. With her eyes protected by sunglasses, she was the most embracing of the six to the sun, her body eager to feel the morning heat. _If only Sagan was just as embracing._ She thought, seeing her cat not having a care in the world as he shifted inside the brown bag.

Luna was sitting under the shade of a tree, just next to the picnic table, her hands holding onto little Nova, the only warmth she'd ever want in her life. Her attire wasn't too different from her usual wear; the standard tight blue shirt and jeans. The only thing that stood out now was the unzipped blue jacket and cap on her head.

"Wow. I never knew Elze looked so beautiful from here." Lanaya said in awe, her eyes transfixed at the city.

Mirana nodded beside her. "I'm just happy we could get out of that place for once. It was getting rather boring."

"Yeah." Lanaya spread her arms apart as the rough breeze blew by. "Ah, this feels majestic. Glad I'm done for the year."

"Are you going anywhere? For college break." Mirana asked.

"No." she answered, eyes closing as the breeze grew stronger. "I'm not really going to go anywhere in a long time."

"Really?" Mirana asked, flabbergasted. "Don't you have family, or something?"

Lanaya chuckled, turning to face the manager. "Do you?" Mirana turned her gaze away when the subject of family was brought on her. Seeing this, Lanaya smirked. "I'm not really close with mine, and I don't think me turning up would make things better for us."

"I'm sorry." The manager apologized on the touchy subject.

"Don't worry, Mirana. I've stopped caring about it, especially when there are bigger things to care about." She turned to face the rest of the Dark Moon employees. "Like you guys!"

Mirana gave the part-timer a soft smile, and was about to respond when Mortred called out to them.

"Everything's set up guys! _C'est l'heure du déjeuner_!" she said waving to the others to approach her.

Mirana and Lanaya approached the picnic table, with Sylla and Luna right behind them. They were short one person, a fact that they all took notice.

"Where's Shendel?" Lanaya asked, looking around the table.

"She was just looking at that statue." Luna said, pointing at said statue.

"Okay, I'll go look for her." Mortred volunteered, moving away from the table.

Sylla stood up, following behind the baker. "I'll come with." He said.

From the wooden statue of a blue bird, they saw tracks going past it, going farther in the Peak. Luckily for them, it wasn't far from their picnic spot, as they saw Shendel's figure, standing next to a giant of a man. He towered over her, as even with Shendel standing, she only managed to reach his torso even with him sitting. He had an elderly looking, a grey stubble complimenting his face. Next to him was what looked like a combination of a briefcase and an anvil. The man was overlooking the city, drawing grand schematics over it on a blue paper. Sylla has heard of this man, as he stood still in shock while Mortred approached Shendel, almost ignorant of the man she was looking at. Sylla followed behind the baker when he shook himself out of his stupor.

"Shendel, what are you doing here?" Mortred asked as she got her arm around the waitress.

Shendel looked at her friend, but didn't answer, merely facing the elderly man again. Sylla had finally reached them by this time. He had his hands on the two young women's shoulders, intending on taking them away from this man, but they didn't move.

"Who is this guy?" Mortred asked, mostly to Shendel.

At this, the elderly looking man stopped what he was doing, and slowly turned to face the three intruders.

"Yes?" he asked them.

"What are you drawing?" Shendel asked.

The man scoffed, turning to his drawing, and then to the view of the city. "I'm drawing of things that should have been, if things did not go as awry as it did."

"What?"

"Ugh, not this crap again." Mortred complained, remembering the two patrons that didn't make a lick of sense.

"Come on, girls. Let's go." Sylla said, trying to tug the two away from the man.

"Are you… Grieving over something?" Shendel asked, prodding deeper.

"Probably. Maybe not as much as a broken bird, such as yourself." Shendel winced at what he had said. "But my consequences were far greater." He turned to Sylla, a look of understanding on his face. "You have heard of me, yes?" Sylla nodded, still trying to drag the two away. "Then please, I wish for no disturbances."

Sylla nodded, as the both Shendel and Mortred finally relented to him, dragging them away from the elderly man as he went back to his schematics. When they were out of his earshot, Sylla let both of them go as he lead them back to the picnic table.

"Who was that man?" Shendel asked.

"He's an elderly man." Sylla answered.

"What, you mean older than you?" Mortred said.

"Yes." The look on Sylla's face showed that he did not want to talk about it, so the both of them dropped the subject.

When they came back to the area, they saw five similar looking short men, carrying around equipment. The four of them were standing as far away from Luna, while one of them was sitting on the picnic table, talking about something that they couldn't hear from where they were.

"I'm just saying, that this stuff would do wonders! Come on, toots. Trust me, when have I ever lied?" he asked, to an annoyed Luna, an angry Mirana, and an uncaring Lanaya.

"Listen, you **rat**. I don't want any of your crap!" Mirana told him.

"Ugh, fine. Your loss, babe." He said as he got off the picnic table. "Your babies would've benefitted greatly, I tell ya!

The rest had arrived when the entrepreneur had left the area, sitting at their respective spots as Mortred set out to give everyone their meals. One of the Meepos came back, looking intimidated as he approached Luna.

"What do you want now?" Mirana asked, still angry at Meepo's presence.

"Nothing with you. I just needed to give scary mama here something." He said as he handed Luna a letter.

"What's this?" she asked.

"Dunno. Some bounty hunter told us to give it to you." He answered, finally leaving the group for good.

Luna opened the letter as the others started on Mortred's servings. Mirana peered over as Luna read the letter, getting a glimpse of what a certain bounty hunter had wanted of Luna. A shove from the barista's elbow discouraged her from further peering, although now Lanaya was also curious as to what was in the letter. Being on the other side of it made it impossible for her to know. A few minutes later Luna crumpled up the piece of paper, throwing it to a nearby trash can.

"Was it Gondar?" Mirana asked. Luna simply nodded. "What did he want?

"None of any of your business, princess." Mirana cringed, but she softened up when she saw Luna's smile. "Just something that involves the City Guard."

"City Guard?" Lanaya remembered the last time she saw the bounty hunter in the coffee shop, and what the City Guard were talking about. "Is it that favor they asked of him?"

"Maybe. Eat your bread."

They continued their morning together, talking about their lives beyond the Dark Moon, things that they don't normally share with others. Sylla just sat there, observing the five girls as they connected. It was one of the reasons why Selemene was supportive of the small trip that they had planned; she wanted them to get closer to each other, to create a healthy work environment. _If she wanted that, why didn't she come along._ he thought, still annoyed that he had to look over them.

When the soaring sun was no longer at its peak, the six of them packed up and made their way back down. Going back down was not as tiring as going up, as in half an hour they were already half way, what took them 2 hours going up reaching the same place.

"Man, I wish we could come here again." Lanaya said offhandedly.

"Yeah, it's nice." Mirana said, with Shendel and Mortred nodding in agreement.

She turned to face the older women. "Does this place have a story?"

"Every place has a story, Lanaya." Luna said as she moved beside the part-timer.

"I know, do you know what it is?" she turned to face Shendel. "Weren't you looking at the statue before? Did it have a story?"

"I don't know." She answered.

"I do." All heads turned to face the old man, surprised and curious at the statement. Lanaya's eyes showed childish curiosity, and he relented, deciding on telling them as they made their way down.

"The legend tells of a tiny little pebble that looked upon its grand, majestic, brothers. It was saddened, as it could not move; and if it could not move, it could not grow. Until one day, a blue bird appeared, grabbing the tiny pebble by its claws, carrying it around the earth. The tiny pebble dreams became stronger, seeing how big he could feel just by seeing the earth."

"When the bird dropped him, he fell on one of his brothers, rolling of the side. Then, the pebble realized that it was growing as it continued rolling down. It became a small boulder by the time it reached the foot. The tiny pebble wanted more, and luckily for it, the blue bird came back, still able to carry him. And so they travelled the earth, as the no longer tiny pebble and its friend, little Roc, until finally it can move on its own."

"It was no longer the tiny pebble, but a tiny mountain. And now it was little Roc's turn to explore the earth with the tiny mountain's help. They travelled together, both rock and bird, friends for eternity. Until one day, little Roc no longer had the energy to travel on. The once tiny mountain wouldn't move as well, deciding on staying to keep its friend company. They stayed put, until little Roc finally came back to earth, and so did the mountain, staying in place to preserve the memory of its friend."

"Well, that was the gist of it." He concluded.

"Aw, such a sweet story." Lanaya said.

"So you're saying that bird up there is 'little Roc'?" Shendel asked. Sylla nodded, Shendel rolling her eyes with the old man's limited response.

Through Sylla's little story telling session, Mortred had droned it out, her attuned senses making her feel someone around them. She didn't say anything, as to not disrupt the session, but she could tell that Luna could feel it as well, as the older woman looked serious beyond all measure. She had even handed Nova to Mirana, moving ahead of the rest. Mortred followed behind her, channeling her inner Lanaya to sate her curiosity.

The both of them were now far ahead of the group, with Mortred just out of Luna's field of vision. She knew that the older woman knows that she's following her, but she didn't care enough to stop her. Mortred stopped when she saw Luna turned around, her gaze looking around the area. A rustle from a nearby bush drew their attention, and a short pale skinned man emerged from it. He wore a blue shirt with a drawing of a fish on it, wearing oversized brown shoulder pads. A shiv was strapped to his belt, his hand twitching on its handle. He had a huge under bite, large canines showing itself when he smiled.

"I know you." He said, as he slowly approached Luna. "Yeah, you were there…"

"And you're a Nightcrawler." She responded, earning a tired laugh from the short man.

"Yeah, the **last** one. Because of **you**." his grip on his shiv tightened, but Luna hardly responded.

"What do you want, Nightcrawler?" Luna crossed her arms over her chest.

He loosened his grip, his eyes faltering to the ground, and Mortred could finally see the uncertainty in his expression. "I don't know. I thought maybe you could help me."

Luna scoffed. "You'd ask the help of someone who led to the downfall of you Nightcrawlers? Are you **that** desperate?"

"It's because no other person I've heard of has the life that you have." He approached her, slowly circling the barista. "You have a good job, a nice place, a healthy relationship with people close to you. Maybe, the same thing could happen to me."

"I can't help you, Nightcrawler. I couldn't even help myself."

"Bullshit!" he drew his shiv, pointing it at Luna's back, but the barista barely flinched. "Help me! If you can't…" the blade of the shiv touched Luna, and she still had yet made her move. "Then I'll make you!"

The man was kicked before he could drive the blade into Luna's backside. He got back up and retreated to the bushes.

"What's wrong, Nightcrawler, getting a little rusty?" she taunted.

Another rustle between the bushes drew Luna's attention, but the Nightcrawler pounced from the other side, his shiv at hand. Mortred, seeing that Luna would get hit by the blade, launched herself to the barista, catching the Nightcrawler before he could strike her and throwing him to the ground. The Nightcrawler looked surprised at Mortred's intrusion.

"Finally showed yourself, Mortred." Luna commented, elbowing the baker.

"Just wanted to see what's what. So what's the plan?" she asked, just as the Nightcrawler disappeared into the bushes again.

"Wait it out."

"What?"

"Wait it out, just for a few more seconds." Luna said, emphasizing her plan.

"Why?" Mortred asked confusedly.

"Just do it." Luna said as she dodged another attack.

They dodged and deflected the blind and uncontrolled attacks of the last Nightcrawler, clearly not intending on harming the person that could very well harm them. But Mortred saw Luna suddenly smirking, seeing a figure slowly approach them, but disappearing himself. Just as the Nightcrawler was about to pounce on the two, he was struck by a concussive shot fired at him, sending him to the ground.

The bounty hunter that had been slowly trailing him finally showed himself. "Hello, Slark. Fancy meeting you here." He said.

"Gondar. Ugh, of course it's you again." The Nightcrawler responded, his body still in pain.

Gondar turned to face the two women. "Thanks for the help Luna. I owe you one."

Luna crossed her arms, not the slightest bit amused by the bounty hunter's appearance. "Yeah, why don't you stop disturbing me?"

Gondar chuckled. "Yeah, that's impossible." He turned back to Slark, brandishing a pair of handcuffs. "You're coming with me, Slark. The City Guard would like to have a word with you."

"Yeah, whatever. Let's just get this over with."

"So easy? You sure changed." Gondar responded, surprised at the Nightcrawler's change in personality.

"I'm tired of running, Gondar. Let's get on with it."

Gondar nodded. "Very well." He turned to face Luna and Mortred before he left. "Thank you once again, for the help."

Both women saw the bounty hunter's retreating form, as he carried the last Nightcrawler's body. Mortred looked at Luna, seeing the older woman shake her head. Luna then returned the baker's gaze, a tired smile on her face.

"Let's get back to the others." She said. "I want to go home."

Mortred smiled, before laughing wildly, still not believing the scenario that had played out before them. A former Veiled Sister and the Scourge of the Plains working together with a bounty hunter to capture a Nightcrawler.

Her past self wouldn't believe of it.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

man, been really busy with school lately. at least i'm still able to update this!

hope you guys enjoyed it! :D


	29. Archery Rivalry

**Archery Rivalry**

Grey skies covered the city of Elze, the city streets being subjected to strong winds since the early morning. The citizens were ill equipped for the weather, with no warning being given to them about its arrival. It was one reason why the city streets were empty of pedestrians. Through the windy streets, a bus stops itself in front of the Dark Moon, allowing two people to exit the vehicle and make their way inside the building.

One of them wore a dark blue jacket. Her attire covered her figure with the hood propped up, covering her face; specifically her blue eyes and white hair. She wore black jeans and high black boots. She carried a novel in her hands as she made her way to an empty table. She looked up to her friend, who was stretching next to her before joining her on the table.

Her friend in question wore green track pants and a green jacket with yellow stripes over a yellow tank top. Her red hair was tied into a ponytail, with her face covered in light freckles. She had piercing green eyes, with a piercing on her nose. She cracked her knuckles as she propped her feet on the table. Her feet were knocked off as fast as they were on the table by her wholesome friend.

"Not in public, Lyralei." She said with a frown.

Lyralei grinned at her friend's discomfort. "Jeeze, Traxex. Lighten up, will ya?" She moved her chair to Traxex's side. "I finally got you out of the room so we can have some fun."

"And you brought me to a coffee shop? I thought your idea of 'fun' would be different."

Lyralei sighed, bringing her arm around Traxex. "Yeah, well. The weather made it hard for my plans."

"I thought you loved windy days." Traxex commented.

"I do. But you?"

"I don't mind a little gust here and there."

"Ugh, if I knew that, I would've just gone with the plan. See? We're roommates, yet we don't spend enough time together!" she shook Traxex in frustration. "I don't care what you had planned today, we're gonna bond!"

"Fine." She took out her novel, but it was taken out of her hand by Lyralei. "Hey!"

"No reading. Just us. Here. Talking."

They both stared at each other, a frown against a smirk, the both of them in their own world.

"Can I get anything for you seniors?"

They both turned to face the voice, their eyes widening in surprise at the person taking their orders.

"Lanaya?" Lyralei asked rhetorically. The part-timer nodded in response. "I forgot you worked here."

"You knew?" Traxex asked beside here.

"Yeah, I've always heard the sophomores talk about this coffee shop." She lightly elbowed Traxex. "You know, you should hang out with Lanaya more. You guys have a lot in common."

"Enough talk about me. I'm here to take your orders." Lanaya said, cutting them off.

"Do you have any tea?" Traxex asked, but Lyralei shook her head at her friend's order.

"No. No teas! Just get us a latte."

"What? Why?" she asked incredulously.

"Because." Lyralei pointed her thumb to her chest. "My plan. My rules."

Lanaya left the two seniors to their bickering, shaking her head as they quarrel like an old married couple. She made her way to Luna, who was taking a nap at her station. She sat at the stool as she slowly shook the older woman awake.

"Luna… Wake up…" when no responses came, she shook harder. And harder. And harder, till Luna finally pealed her eyes open.

"What?" she asked, yawning as she straightened herself.

"Two lattes."

"For who?"

"Those two." Lanaya pointed at her seniors, still bickering.

With a chuckle, Luna turned her back on Lanaya, leaving the part-timer to her own thoughts as she made the orders. Lanaya sighed, feeling tired because of the weather's influence. She would've taken a nap too, but she promised Shendel that they would take turns in taking naps in the break room. She envied the older waitress, yearning for rest as her eyelids slowly got heavier.

"Here you go." Luna said, placing the two lattes on the tray. Lanaya shook her head before she took the tray to her seniors.

"-you always do this. You always try to take control of my life." _uh oh_ Lanaya thought, feeling uncomfortable as she walked into an argument.

"Come on, we're roommates! I wouldn't mind if you do that!" Lyralei countered.

"Yes, but I do!" Traex turned away from Lyralei, crossing her arms over her chest. "I would've **hoped** that my roommate would respect what **I** want."

"Okay, lattes are here!" Lanaya announced, hoping to diffuse the situation.

"Lanaya, can you **please** teach Lyralei to respect other people's wishes?"

"Lanaya," Lyralei brought Lanaya down onto one of the chairs. "can you tell Traxex to lighten up? Please?"

She sighed, silently handing both seniors their drinks. "Why don't we just start back at zero?" both seniors took a sip of their latte. "Don't you guys have anything in common? I mean, you're roommates, so there must be something."

"Nothing." Traxex said.

"What? There is something! Remember, when we were in different high schools? We were rivals from our archery club!"

"That was years ago. I doubt you can even keep up with me."

A grin appeared on Lyralei's face. "Oh really? Wanna bet?"

Traxex rolled her eyes. "Please, I can teach you a thing or two with a bow."

"Ohoho. I'm pretty sure you'll have to keep up with me, Traxie."

Both seniors stared each other again, a serious expression against a playful one.

Traxex finally conceded. "Fine We'll go to an archery range after this, and we'll settle this."

"Why wait? Why don't we go now?"

For the first time, Traxex smirked. "Okay." She stood up and headed for the door, giving Lyralei one last glance. "Prepare for a whooping, Lyralei."

As Traxex left the coffee shop, Lyralei stood up after her, but she gave Lanaya a quick hug. "Thanks for the help!" she said, before chasing after Traxex.

All that drama left Lanaya confused at what had actually happened, pleasantly surprised at what the fitter senior had planned. She got out of the building and saw the shrinking figures of her seniors, wishing Lyralei good luck in her endeavor before going back in and taking her much needed nap as Shendel showed herself to the room.


	30. The Two Birds

**The Two Birds**

The city of Elze was not having the best of weathers, with a storm slowly approaching from the horizon. The sun had barely shown itself for the past week, casting a somber atmosphere on the people purging their motivation to go through the day. Most people start their morning feeling either a little under the weather or just simply not in the mood, their very energy sapped out of them the moment they wake up to greet the sunless sky.

It was the exact opposite for Shendel, the waitress of Dark Moon.

Before, her life was filled with nothing but gloom, her life and everything around meaning nothing to her. Yet in recent times, after opening up to her coworkers, she was renewed, rejuvenated with a new purpose. She's found solace in their arms, happy and grateful to call them her closest of friends and no longer subjected to the bouts of depression that would show itself. Because of that, the weather had no effect thanks to her resilience.

Shendel was minding her own business in the Dark Moon, as per usual the low number of patrons allowed them to enjoy the free time, especially so under Elze's current forecast. Her eyes drifted around the room, glancing at her coworkers. Mirana was showing Lanaya the balance book that the manager kept, constantly updating it once the day is over. Luna was sitting idly next to a bored Mortred. Shendel chuckled seeing her friend, before approaching her.

"What's wrong? Is it Sylla?" Shendel asked as she approached.

"Yes." Mortred said begrudgingly. "He always comes in every week, and throws me out of my kitchen!" she continued, throwing her hands up in the air in frustration.

"If you know he does it every week, then it shouldn't really be a problem, is it?" Shendel countered.

"But he always comes at random days! It doesn't make sense!"

"Don't you have better things to do?" Luna asked beside her. "Other than complaining."

Mortrad became silent, shifting her gaze away from the two before slowly shaking her head. "No. All I can do is bake."

Luna sighed at the former Veiled Sister, before bringing her hand to Mortred's back; with force, startling the baker. "Go sweep, or help Sylla clean the kitchen. It's better than hearing you mope next to me."

Shendel retreated from the two, moving around the room taking all the used cups and plates. She went about her day, no different than the other day, but when the door opened and she brought her gaze upon the new patron, her world was about to be turned upside down. The new patron was a man with short blond hair and piercing blue eyes. He wore a cream colored shirt under a blue jacket that was accented with yellow stripes. He carried a light brown colored messenger bag that hung behind him. Their eyes met briefly, and both widened at each other.

"Sh… Shendel?" he whispered, his hand slowly reaching for her.

Shendel shook her head and shut her eyes. "No, no. no." she said repeatedly, facing her back to the man.

She flinched when felt his hand on her shoulder. "Shendel… It's really you. After all these years."

"Let go of me." She said, trying to hold the tears that were on the verge on releasing.

"What?" he asked disbelievingly. " Shen, it's me. Dragonus."

She shook herself out of his touch. "Don't. Touch. Me."

The man was confused at Shendel's reaction to him. "Shen? What's wrong?"

Shendel was starting to hyperventilate, the man's presence triggering long buried emotions. "Why are you here?" she asked him, her eyes opening to show how strained they were.

The man pondered as to why Shendel was like this, until memories he had forgotten in place of a new objective had reminded him to why. "Shendel, please…"

"No." she shook her head, unwilling to listen to his excuse.

"Shendel, I'm sorry." He pleaded. "I was too caught up in my studies."

"I know." She clenched her fist. "While you were busy studying with the money the **Skywrath Corporation** made…" she said with venom. "**you** were closed off to the **drama** that has befallen my family."

"Shendel, please." He dropped to his knees, holding her hands with his. "Forgive me."

"Where were you? Where were **you** when I needed you?" her voice started cracking as tears streamed down her eyes.

"You know I was studying, I couldn't just throw it all away! Not when you parents had generously paid for my tuition!" he responded, but Shendel just stared at him.

"I trusted you." The man got up to stand beside her. "I trusted you, Dragonus, to be there for me…"

Dragonus' tears were straining too. "I know, Shendell."

"I called you… I waited… for weeks… months… and you weren't there…"

"Your family wouldn't tell me what was going on." Shendel scoffed, turning away but Dragonus held her in place. "I asked and asked, but they wouldn't say a single thing. Your sister would **laugh** at my face every time I asked her."

"None of that changes the fact that you weren't there when I needed you." She pushed him away, making space between them. "Get away from me."

"No, Shendel!" Dragonus grabbed Shendel's hand. "Please, I don't want to lose you again."

She gave him one last glance, tears still flowing freely. "You already lost me when you weren't there for me."

"Shendel, please, let me fix this!" he held on to Shendel's hand, but he did not notice her other hand that was heading towards his face.

He felt the stinging pain from where Shendel had slapped him, her face contorting to both anger and despair. "Get away from me."

Dragonus wanted to fight on, to try and get through Shendel's rage, but he felt another pair of hands on his shoulder. He turned to see an old man holding him in place, and a woman with dyed hair staring at him with arms crossed.

"The girl would like you to leave, boy." The old man said, dragging him along.

"No, but… please, give me another chance!"

"Some other time." Sylla responded as he threw Dragonus out of the coffee shop.

Luna, seeing the others going after Shendel, decided on approaching the young blond man who was still on the ground. He wiped the dust off of him but he sat on the pavement, leaning on the building. Luna waited for a few seconds till he realized that someone was staring at him. Luna's stern expression and crossed arms over her chest made him feel shame and guilt.

"What did you do?" she asked.

Dragonus did not answer immediately, instead taking his time staring at the grey skies before responding. "Nothing. That's what I did. **Nothing**."

"Who are you, anyway?"

"Shendel didn't tell anyone about me?" a sad sigh escaped his lips as he came to a likely conclusion. "Of course she didn't. Why would she." He looked up at Luna, still staring straight to his soul. "I'm Dragonus. Shendel's childhood friend, and now ex, I guess."

"That doesn't tell me much, pretty boy."

"I'm sorry." He cleared his throat before he continued on. "Shendel's parents saw some 'potential' in me, and decided on paying for my college tuition, in medicine. I was studying in a different city, so I wasn't there when all the shitstorm happened."

"What shitstorm?"

"She didn't tell you that too?"

Luna shook her head. "She didn't, but I know the story."

Dragonus sighed dejectedly as he told his story. "Well, because of that, I wasn't there when all of **that** happened." He covered his face with his hands as tears began flowing. "When i visited them, they wouldn't say a damn thing. Like I said, her sister would laugh, feeling _oh so _**proud** of what she's done."

He looked up at Luna's face, gauging her reaction. When he found none, anxiety formed within him, but he pressed on.

"I only knew when I visited the hospital. Her youngest sister was in a coma, but she woke up briefly. Long enough to tell me what really happened." Dragonus clenched his fist as his face contorted to anger. "That bitch will pay for what she's done to Shendel!" then, just as quick as it appeared, his anger faltered. "But there's no evidence. None whatsoever. There's nothing I can do."

Luna stared at the young man, seeing his shattered will laid out on the table. "How's Shendel's youngest sister now?"

"She's doing better. She woke up from her coma a few months ago; completely. But she hasn't said a single word since."

Luna felt pity for the young man, more so than anything else, and decided on helping him out. She pulled him up to her height. "Do you know who Aviliva is?"

Dragonus quirked his eyebrows, confused at the question. "Yes. An old family friend of Shendel's parents."

"Good." Luna reached into the man's pocket, grabbing his phone all the while ignoring his protests. She then proceeded to write something on his phone. "This is where Shendel's apartment building is, the landlady is Aviliva."

Dragonus' eyes widened at the revelation. "Really?"

Luna slapped him for good measure, making him focus. "Don't squander this. I'm giving you another chance, but if you hurt Shendel more than now, I will make you regret it."

Dragonus swallowed the air that he didn't know he was holding and nodded at Luna, new determination fueling him as he left the area.

Luna could only look at his shrinking figure, hoping that she did the right thing.

_Later that night_

Shendel walked through the corridors of her apartment building, eager to rest her burdens away as the closed off emotions had surged within her again. She shook her head to rid of the thoughts before she could feel herself be brought down. She quickened her pace as she reached her floor, but stopped momentarily when she saw her landlady leaning on her door with a smirk on her face.

"Aunt Aviliva?" Shendel asked as she approached her room. "Is something going on?"

Aviliva shook her head, putting her hand on Shendel's head and giving it a soft tussle. "Nothing, dear. But you better brace yourself." She said, leaving Shendel to her lonesome.

Shendel look at Aviliva's retreating form, before putting it off as she made her way inside her room. When she turned on the lights, she knew what her landlady was talking about.

"Good evening, Shendel." Dragonus greeted, a feeling of shame and uncertainty rising in him.

"What are you doing here?!" Shendel bellowed, closing the distance between her and Dragonus before slapping him harder than ever.

Despite the pain, he did not flinch. He simply looked back at her, blue eyes meeting red. "I came to ask for forgiveness, and for a second chance."

"No... No. No!" Shendel proceeded to pummel Dragonus with all her might, her fists meeting ever part of his face and torso. Dragonus still did not flinch, willing to take all the Shendel would dish out.

When Shendel had tired, Dragonus finally grabbed hold of her shoulders, startling Shendel with his sudden response and bringing them closer, their face on centimeters apart.

"Shendel… I'd take everything you throw at me, all your grief and sorrows, and your rage and anger, even the whole world for you. All I ask is for a second chance."

Tears strained Shendel's eyes once again as she is filled with different kinds of emotions all pooling together. Rage and a desire for vengeance just of him reminding her of her sister. Grief and sadness of the betrayal she felt, and knowing he wasn't there. But deep down, what she felt most of all was regret in no longer seeing him. She missed him; she yearned for his touch through all these years. The realization broke the dam that held her tears back. Dragonus took notice of this, wiping the tears of her face as he stood there, holding her steadily in place. She looked at him through her bleary eyes, as a thought came to her mind.

And then, pulling his face closer with her hands, she kissed him.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES**

well, that might be the most difficult chapter i've written. hope you guys enjoyed it!


	31. Morning of Uncertainty

**Morning of Uncertainty**

Dragonus hadn't slept this peacefully in years. His life had been filled with grief and turmoil ever since he had found out what truly happened behind the curtains. Hollow as it was, he still went through his studies and even almost getting his professional degree. And although the original intention was for him to be the Scion's personal doctor (who, at the time, was Shendel), he plans on going as far away from the current Scion, even if it meant his own downfall.

The sudden uncomfortable thoughts that plagued his mind had shaken him up from his slumber, slowly his eyes fluttering open to see the rain outside the apartment. He breathed in the scent of the room, treasuring the feeling it brought him. He turned around to look for the person who had left the scent but was surprised when he found nobody on the bed with him. He looked around the room, hoping to find Shendel but his attempts were fruitless, prompting him to get out of the bed and get dressed.

He slowly made his way through the apartment's corridor, careful not to cause any disturbances as he tiptoed to the living area with a smile forming on his face when he saw Shendel sitting at her kitchen table. That smile turned to worry when he noticed that Shendel had hid her face in her arms, looking unresponsive. He moved straight to her, taking the chair next to her and bringing a hand to her back.

"Shen? What's wrong?" he asked as he rubbed her back. Shendel shook her head in her arms, unwilling to talk. Dragonus hesitantly helped her up, allowing him to see her strained eyes with dried tears on her cheeks, with a frown on her face. As inappropriate as it may seem, he thought Shendel looked cute.

His face must've given him away as Shendel's frown deepened, pushing his face away from her. Dragonus chuckled as he brought Shendel to a hug, feeling her calm down in his embrace. "What's wrong?" he asked her again.

Shendel didn't answer him immediately, opting to snuggle into his arms. Dragonus was willing to let it go, till Shendel suddenly spoke up.

"I hate you." She said, startling him with her words, making him feel nervous. "I hate you for not being there, leaving me alone." He felt Shendel's tears on his shirt. "But… I love you."

She straightened herself to look at Dragonus in the eyes, her serious expression making him nervous. "Although you weren't there when I needed you the most, you were there the rest of my life." She pummeled his chest hard, staggering him. "I hate you… for making me love you…"

She fell into him again, openly sobbing into his arms as Dragonus sat there silently, not sure any soothing words he could say would change anything. Instead he tightened his embrace and held her closely, waiting for her to let it all out.

Not too long the scene changed, Dragonus sitting quietly as Shendel made breakfast for the both of them.

"You don't want to know how your family's doing?" he asked, hoping to break the silence between them.

Shendel shook her head. "No. I don't need to have my life disrupted because of them."

He looked at her disbelievingly. "But they're your family, Shen."

She turned to face him, her hands on her hips. "I don't think they think of me the same way when they disowned me, Dragonus."

Dragonus was about to form a reply, but no words were able to form as he left his mouth hanging, instead opting to close it as he let Shendel's point sink in, allowing the waitress to continue cooking breakfast. He smiled as a thought of what could cheer Shendel up came into his head.

"I talked to Elodie." He saw Shendel froze, which he took as a sign to continue. "She was the one that told me what happened. She said she's sorry."

"What?!" she turn to face him again, her face filled with distress. "Why? She did nothing wrong!"

"She said she was sorry for not believing you."

"No, no! It wasn't her fault! It was…" Shendel's face contorted with anger. "it was Zanria's fault…" her face relaxed once again, turning to look at Dragonus. "Where is Elodie now?"

"She's still in the hospital, she woke up from her coma a few months ago but she didn't want to leave." Dragonus stood up to Shendel's height, slightly towering over her. "She doesn't want to be near your family too."

"Then what? Is she going to stay in the hospital forever?"

"I don't know, Shen. She hasn't spoken a single word since she woke up. But, I think, that maybe…" He wiggled his brows, communicating an unspoken idea to Shendel.

Shendel's eyes widened as she caught on to what Dragonus meant. "What? You can't be serious…" Dragonus nodded with a smile on his face. "She shouldn't be lumped with me, she still has a home, Dragonus…"

"But she doesn't have a home anymore, Shen. She's as much of a victim as you are, and you know it." Dragonus held Shendel by her shoulders, feeling her shudder.

They looked at each other, eye to eye as Shendel's mouth quivered as words formed at the edge of her tongue. "Will… Will she really be okay?"

Dragunos smiled, rubbing Shendel's shoulder to comfort her. "I'm sure Elodie would love to see her eldest sister again."

Shendel smiled, tears of hope and relief slowly trickling down her cheeks. Dragonus brought his hand to her face, wiping the tears off. Their gaze met again, and slowly they closed the distance but a knock from the door interrupted them. Shendel loosened herself from the embrace, straightening herself.

"Keep an eye on the food." She said as she made her way to the door.

As she opened it, she found nobody outside. Shendel got out her apartment and looked around the corridor, still finding nothing as the halls were empty. She sighed, feeling pranked, but a shout from Dragonus drew her attention, making her run back into her apartment.

"Shen, help!" he called out as Shendel came back to the living area surprised at the scene in front of her.

Mortred had Dragonus pinned to the wall with one arm as her other hand gripped the bread knife she always carried that was strapped to her back.

"Mortred! What are you doing?!" Shendel yelled, surprised at her friend's actions.

Mortred faced Shendel, a serious expression on her face. "I'm making sure he didn't do anything!"

"Well, he didn't! Let him go!"

"Oh…" Mortred's face became a shade of red as she slowly put Dragonus back on the ground. "I'm sorry…"

"How did you even know he's here, anyway?" Shendel questioned.

Mortred looked away from Shendel's gaze, feeling ashamed of what she did. "Luna told me. She wanted me to make sure nothing happened to you."

"How did Luna know?"

"Uhm…" Dragonus joined the conversation, although he also wasn't feeling confident. "This, Luna person, was the one that gave me the address to your apartment."

"What?" Shendel asked, feeling her personal space being violated by her friends. "When?"

"Yesterday, when that old man threw me out. She talked to me outside the coffee shop."

Shendel brought her hands to her face, feeling embarrassed. "And she now told you to check up on me?"

"Yes." Mortred answered, fidgeting. "I didn't mean to make things uncomfortable, Shendel. We just wanted to make sure you're alright, especially after what happened yesterday."

She looked at Mortred, seeing the shame in her eyes and feeling touched at what her and Luna did, despite the circumstances. "Thank you, Mortred. I'm fine."

They shared a smile, as Mortred also breathed a sigh of relief.

"Ugh, ladies?" the two women looked at Dragonus. "The food's burning now…"

"Damn it!" Shendel ran to the stove in hopes to recover some of the breakfast she had planned but her efforts were futile, as all that's left were charred remains.

Mortred peered over Shendel's shoulder. "I have some bread wit me."

Shendel looked at her baker friend, a knowing smile on her face. "Of course you do."

The three of them sat together at Shendel's dining table, eating the pastries Mortred always had on hand on a Sunday. Mortred saw Shendel and Dragonus sneak a glance at each other, seeing the history behind the two.

_A lot's going to change, from now…_ she thought with a smile as she took another bite.


	32. Cooling Rock and Melting Ice

**Cooling Rock and Melting Ice**

The Radiant Dorms were bustling with activity on the Sunday afternoon as the varied circles of college students spent their leisure time within the walls of the building. Some went about with their group projects in the provided chambers, while others crowded the common rooms as some questionable activities took place.

On the ground floor, though, one of the common rooms stood empty through the entire ruckus within the dorms. The only soul inside it was the resting form of a certain part-timer, her sleeping form laid undisturbed on a sofa. But her nap wouldn't last any longer, as the sound of an argument woke her up, her eyes slowly fluttering open to greet the dimly illuminated room.

She sat up and stretched her body before glancing behind her to the source of the disturbance. Lyralei, one of her seniors, was having a heated argument with the entrepreneur that Lanaya saw last time she was at Vegrandis Peak. Lyralei was pointing at the man's forehead with force as the man recoiled from her finger.

"Listen creep. I don't need any of this. So why don't you just leave before I call the City Guards?" she threatened.

Meepo held his hands up high in defense. "Come on, babe. Doncha want to make those puppies grow? Such a shame, if you ask me."

"Well, nobody asked you." She kicked Meepo, sending him to the other Meepos. "Get the hell out of here, you rat!" she yelled as she closed the door behind her.

"Problem?" Lanaya asked. Lyralei, upon seeing the sophomore, smiled and moved to sit next to her.

"No, just some urchin intent on selling me a 'lotion' to help my chest grow." She said as she plopped down the sofa. "I mean, _seriously_, as if I have a problem with it."

Lanaya raised an eyebrow at her senior. "Really? I always thought you were jealous of Traxex."

"Well, who wouldn't be?" Lyralei countered before grabbing her own chest. "I'm flat as a board compared to the well endowed blue ranger." She said, feigning despair.

"I am not well endowed, Lyralei." Traxex said as she entered the room.

Lyralei, upon seeing her roommate, jumped off the sofa and hugged the introverted Traxex, her hands resting on her now blushing roommate.

"_Not well endowed_? Oh _please_, you busty fiend. How _dare_ you act conservative when you're stacked as a mountain." Lyralei said, with her hands still on Traxex's chest.

"Lyralei! Stop this nonsense!" Traxex complained, struggling under her fit roommate. "Seriously, we're in front of people here! It's not funny!"

"Oh, nobody said it was funny, Traxex." Lyralei gave Lanaya a quick glance. "And I'm sure Lanaya doesn't mind. Right, Lanaya?"

Lanaya felt awkward with the situation at hand, sympathizing with Traxex's humiliating experience, but she had no words to say to diffuse the situation.

"Oh my God." All three women turned their heads to another certain redhead that had just entered the room, leaning on her crutch as she stared at the two seniors.

"Hey, Lina!" Lyralei called out.

"Hm, didn't know you two were a couple." Lina commented as she joined Lanaya on the sofa.

"We're **not**." Traxex said as she finally got herself out of Lyralei's embrace before leaving the room to the other three.

"Better catch your girlfriend, Lyralei. Don't wanna get back and sleep on the couch, now do ya?" Lina teased with Lanaya giggling beside her.

"Very funny, Lina." Lyralei responded as she laughed sarcastically. She moved to stand next to where Lina was sitting, both redheads staring at each other.

"What do you want?" Lina asked, seeing the grin form on Lyralei's face. With no warning, she was brought into a tight hug by the 'senior'. "What are you doing?"

"Missed you so much, red! Been way too long since we last hung out." Lyralei as she let the hug go.

Lina drew her gaze away from Lyralei as Lanaya noticed a look of shame from her friend's eyes. "I've just been busy with classes."

"Nonsense!" Lyralei said as she straightened herself, grabbing her fellow redhead's hand. "You're coming with me! We're gonna catch up for old time's sake!"

Lanaya saw Lina get dragged as she couldn't form a retort or excuse to run away from Lyralei's grasp, slowly both redheads disappearing from the room, leaving Lanaya by her lonesome once again. Hearing footsteps from the other side of the hall, she turned to see Rylai enter the room, just as her sister left it. With a smile, Rylai joined Lanaya on the sofa, bring her knees to her chest as she leaned on her friend.

"Hey, Rylai." Rylai looked up to Lanaya's eyes as she was called. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"What happened to Lina?" Lanaya felt Rylai flinch at the question, Lanaya about to take back her words before she heard Rylai sigh.

"Did you ever wonder why my sister, who's two years older than us, is in the same year?" Lanaya nodded, prompting Rylai to continue on. "Well, let's just say that her broken leg had something to do with that."

"What happened, exactly?"

Rylai's eyes met Lanaya's, a somber expression replacing her usual enthusiasm. "What do you think of the relationship between Lina and me?"

Lanaya chose her words carefully, not wanting to make a turn for the worst. "It's… like treading on ice?"

A nervous laugh escaped Lanaya's lips, still unsure of what she said. Rylai just sighed before continuing her point. "We're not exactly close, as you can probably tell. But we've been trying to get closer to each other, to make up for lost time."

"Did you two hate each other when you were kids?"

"Oh, like you wouldn't **believe**! We were mortal enemies, like fire and ice!" a sad laugh escaped her as she remembered her childhood.

"Does this have to do with you going to the north?" Lanaya asked.

"Bingo!" Rylai laughed again, mostly to herself as Lanaya felt too awkward to join her friend. "Our parents were so fed up with our constant fighting, that they sent us to separate ends of the earth! Me; to the north, and my sister; to the equator with my aunt."

"I came back just as she started college, but she didn't change. She was still the hellfire hell bitch I remembered. And the people she hung out with were just as hellish as her. And, somehow, somewhere, that group of people ended up in a burning building."

"What?!" Lanaya asked disbelievingly.

"Yeah, somehow they started a fire, bringing the building down. One of them, they called him Fletcher or something, suffered the most burns, to the point where his skeleton was visible." Both women cringed at the picture before Rylai continued her story. "Lina didn't suffer any drastic burns, but parts of the building fell on her, shattering her leg."

"Lina stayed in the hospital for more a few months, and every time my parents and I would visit her, she would just stay quiet." Rylai looked up at the ceiling, remembering a particular event in her story. "I not entirely sure what actually happened, but one thing led to another, with some insults thrown at each other, and I ended up yelling at her with tears streaming down my eyes. My parents were just watching me let out all my frustrations at Lina, with Lina just staring at me, eyes wide open. I stormed out after that."

"Your parents didn't try to stop you?"

"Even if they did, I don't think it would've stopped me. I don't remember what happened beforehand, but it was the straw that broke the camel's back, so to say, that lead to my outburst. I didn't visit Lina for like two weeks or so, until my parents forced me. So I was the one that had to pick her up when she was discharged, and when I got in her room, things started changing for us."

"What do you mean?"

A soft smile formed on Rylai's face, making Lanaya curious to what kind change she meant. "I saw how tired she looked, and how red her eyes were. There were also dried streaks of tears, and when she saw me enter, she scowled and gave me the cold shoulder. I don't know how, but at that moment, I regretted every single thing I said to her. So, without a word, I just helped her out by getting her dressed, putting on her brace for her leg, handing her her crutch, and just standing by her."

Rylai closed her eyes, a single tear falling from her eye as she breathed in. "Without any words exchanged, that was when we decided on trying to fix our fucked up relationship."

"Is it working?" Lanaya asked, feeling sympathy for her friend.

"I hope so." Rylai said with a smile. "We've been trying **really **hard." Rylai wiped her eyes of any tears that were left, before standing up and dragging Lanaya with her. "Come, let's get something to eat. I don't want to dwell on this anymore."

Lanaya smiled, seeing Rylai's enthusiasm back. "Okay."

As they made their way to the dorm's entrance, they stopped momentarily when a huge, tubby senior walked in, almost tripping with his own feet as he held the side of his head with pain.

"Hey Al, what's up?" Rylai asked the senior.

With a groan, the senior answered her. "Ugh, some weird experiment Professor Drakbrew."

"You should be careful, Al," Lanaya said, seeing the senior's slurred expression. "Everyone knows how weird and dangerous Professor Drakbrew's experiments could be."

"But I need to pass his damned classes." He answered, before bring his hand to his mouth to stifle his entrails that he would later vomit out.

Both Rylai and Lanaya were glad they had made their way out of the building before they had to deal with a sick senior vomiting on the dorm halls.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

okay, i know it's Razzil that tells people that they could call him Al, but i needed a name for the ogre. so, now, his name's Al, and he's currently a senior who's also Professor Razzil Drakbrew's assistant.

oh, the torture.

anyways, thanks again for reading!


	33. Blackest Observations

**Blackest Observations**

The midday sun broke through the grey clouds, spreading its warmth for the first time in weeks on the city of Elze. Signs of life emerged as the rays revived the people's daily motivation to go through their days in hopes of ending it on a high note. On this new week, the streets were witness to the infamous Armageddon, the roaring of its engines blaring on the road as the vibrations of its echoes were felt by the bystanders.

The bike slowed down as it approached the Dark Moon, heading towards the parking lot behind the building, parking next to a purple motorcycle just as intimidating as it. The rider, a man decked out in what one might call a standard riot gear, got off the Armageddon and proceeded towards the entrance.

He was greeted to the back of two men wearing a black shirt and different colored caps, having a conversation with Selemene. On closer inspection, the rider realized that the two men were connected through the sides of their abdomen. _Conjoined twins, huh?_ he thought as he made his way around them, greeting Selemene with a nod when their gaze met each other.

"…And now, with the air conditioning that we've installed, this whole room would feel the breeze of a winter wonderland." The blue capped man said with a proud smile, his arm around his brother's shoulder.

"Let's not forget that, with new and improved ventilation, this room can feel the warmth for a dragon's fire during the harshest storms." The red capped man added.

"Thanks, Jak, Iro. I'm sorry I had you guys working on this on a Sunday." Selemene said with an apologetic smile on her face.

"Oh, don't think too much about it." Jak said as he took off his blue cap, wiping the sweat off his face. "Iro and I don't mind working on Sundays."

"Definitely!" the red capped twin said. "As long as we get paid, of course." Both brothers and Selemene shared a hearty laugh. When they had settled, Selemene escorted the twins to her office to finish the transactions.

The armored rider just watched on as he sat himself on a vacant stool, sitting next to a brown man in a construction outfit with a basketball on his lap, drinking a protein shake with vigor as he downed it on one go. A fresh cup was already prepared by Luna as she presented it on the table for the man to drink. The man glanced at the one who goes by CK, giving him a grin before consuming the new drink that was prepared for him.

"The usual, sir?" CK turned to face the barista, her piercing gaze complimenting the annoyed look on her face.

"Please." He replied, adding a nod as well.

"You come here often?" a deep voice asked from his side.

"Not really." He answered.

The man next to him held his hand out, taking CK's hand and shaking it. "Raigor, of Stonehoof Construction."

"Pleasure." CK responded, bringing his hand away from the construction worker. He glanced at the man's protein shake with a question in mind. "Living healthy?"

A deep bellowing laugh escaped Raigor's mouth before he responded. "Yes. I also coach the university's basketball team."

"Having a great time, coach Raigor?" a part-timer asked as she approached the counter.

"Haha, yes. This is a very calming place. Not enough shakes, though."

Lanaya giggled, covering her mouth with her hand. "Not all places can be as loud as a construction site, coach."

"Yes. Such a shame." Raigor shook his head with a disapproving look. "Such a shame indeed." The man took his last drink and finished it, standing up with the basketball in his hand. He gave Lanaya one last look. "Where's Lyralei? She's been skipping practice for the past month."

"Oh, she's been busy, coach." Lanaya giggled, remembering what the senior had been doing the past weekend.

"Well, tell her to tell me if she still intends to be part of the team." He said before waving at her and the other two people around her.

"You play basketball?" Luna asked as she handed the armored man his drink.

"No, not anymore." She scoffed, rolling her eyes at herself. "It was a dumb phase. Tried it for two weeks, then I stopped."

"Why?" Luna brought her hand to Lanaya's shoulder, Lanaya's face reddening as she held back a moan. "I think you would've done great."

"Uh, Luna?" Lanaya tried to pry herself away from Luna's grasp. "Please stop."

"Hm? Oh! Sorry." Luna said, leaving the part-timer to her own bearing.

Lanaya shook herself to rid her of the unwanted feelings, before glaring at the barista. "Are you sure you've never had experience before?"

Luna scoffed at the insinuation. "I've never been interested in sex, Lanaya. Whether it was years ago, or now, nothing's changed."

"Really? Mirana said you weren't a virgin though…" Lanaya said with a bewildered look on her face.

"Oh, Lanaya…" Luna patted Lanaya's head, with what could be called as a motherly smile on her face. "When you're around Akasha, you'll be experiencing a lot; and I mean **a lot** of things."

"Luna!" Lanaya's face was reddened. "I didn't want to know about what the Queen did!"

"Then you shouldn't have asked in the first place." She said followed with a bellowing laugh.

"Ugh. I can't believe you have so much dirt on Queen Akasha."

"They're not really 'dirt' if the person doesn't care about it, Lanaya."

"Yeah, but you're just casually saying these things in front of a stranger." Lanaya said, gesturing to CK, who was just casually observing the two women.

An unperturbed look was plastered on Luna's face. "If he's anything like his 'brother', then I doubt anything like this would surprise; or concern; him."

He chuckled when he saw the bemused expression on the part-timer's face. "What do you mean?"

"Oh yeah, you were in the break room when they were here." She looked at the armored man's orange visor. "You're not going to say anything? She's very curious, I'm sure you can rile her up."

The man sometimes known as the blackest knight looked at the part-timer's eyes, Lanaya feeling a malevolent energy escaping him as he stood up, subconsciously backing up to the wall. A deep chuckle escaped him, seeing Lanaya slowly squirming away from him. He leaned on the counter, closing the distance between them.

Hearing Lanaya's erratic breathing, he straightened himself, giving Lanaya room to breathe again. He turned to Luna, seeing the frown on her face. "If she reacts this strongly from just my presence alone, she wouldn't be able to handle the true nature of the world." He said, before turning to leave the two women.

Lanaya, sweating profusely, sat at a stool. "Who the hell was he? **What** was he?"

Luna smiled, sympathizing with the part-timer. "I don't know, Lanaya." She helped Lanaya up and brought her towards the break room. "You should rest. Us normal people can't handle him."

Lanaya laid her head on the table, her eyelids suddenly becoming heavier from the contact. She felt Luna pat her head, draping a jacket on her body before seeing the barista leave the room.

She didn't even noticed that she fell asleep.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

sorry for the late update guys. was feeling a bit lazy.

so, i hope you guys can enjoy this short chapter!


	34. Return of the Waiter

**Return of the Waiter**

Lanaya loves her job.

It's been a few months since she started part-timing at the Dark Moon, and she's loved every single moment in it. At first all she felt was awkwardness at the peculiar traits of her co-workers (and Selemene), irked out by their contrasting personalities. But they've grown on her and she's gotten close to them, especially since two of them (technically one) lived across the street.

Lanaya was just minding her own business, catering to the patron's needs as she went from table to table in ensuring that they were satisfied. She was startled, though, when the doors burst open and a man stumbled through as he rolled on the floor. She eyed him cautiously, as from her experiences around the area; nobody's normal, so Lanaya was already suspicious as to who he was.

He wore a loose purple tanktop with black jeans, with white tattoos visible on his arms and going deeper into his chest. His skin was tanned from constant exposure, with more tattoos on his face; this time in a shade of red-violet; and around his scalp as his dyed hair was styled in a Mohawk. His ragged breathing conveyed exhaustion as his orchid colored eyes fluttered, struggling to stay open.

Their eyes met each other's when he looked up, followed with the man standing up. "Can I get you anything, sir?" Lanaya asked, mostly out of courtesy.

The man furrowed his brows, the look of confusion very strong on his face. "What? Who are you?"

"I'm sorry sir, but I work here." She responded with a scowl hidden by her mask. "And that should be **my** question."

The man palmed his face in exasperation. "Look, I worked here too. But I need a place to hide!"

"What?" came Lanaya's bewildered response.

"Magina!" Both of them turned to see a surprised Mirana, her hand covering her opened mouth. "Wow, you're back?! Oh, I have to tell Selemene!"

"No, Mirana, don't!" he called out, but his efforts proved futile as Mirana had already left the room. He cursed under his breath at the prospect of seeing Selemene again.

Lanaya could only stare at him in confusion, wondering where she heard that name from. The man realized that he was still being stared at. "What do you want?" he asked.

Her eyes widened as she remembered who he was. "You're that guy that sought revenge against the 'dead god'!" Lanaya clutched her stomach as she laughed.

Magina groaned, getting embarrassed because of the situation he's in. "Damn it, is that what Luna's been saying about me?"

"Yup." Lanaya replied, stifling her giggling.

"Magina!" both people flinched at the sound of sudden aggression, slowly turning to see Selemene, her piercing gaze boring into one's soul with her arms over her chest. Mirana stood behind her with a smirk on her face.

Magina let out a nervous laugh. "Hey, Selemene. Growing your hair out?"

Selemene was not amused with Magina's jokes, approaching him with an authoritative air around her. "I gave you a home. A job. A life. And then you ran away with some dogmatic agenda on your mind. And then you think you could come back unscathed?"

"Uh… I'm sorry?"

"Get in my office. **Now**." Selemene commanded, turning heal and leaving with Magina trailing behind, looking down on the ground in humiliation.

"Wow." Lanaya looked at Mirana, who was now in a giggle fit. "What just happened?"

"Oh, nothing." She said as her giggling subsided. "You remember when Luna and me said we had a male waiter?"

"And that's him?"

"Yes. Oh, I better tell Luna!" Mirana said, leaving the part-timer to her own. With nothing else to do, Lanaya went back to work.

An hour later, she was sitting at Luna's station, with Shendel taking her turn waiting the tables. Luna was wiping the glasses as no orders were thrown her way. Lanaya had been questioning Luna about who Magina really is, but the older women answered with smiles and grunts, misleading her farther down the path. She was so caught up in her interrogation that she did not notice Magina sitting next to her.

"Hey Luna." He greeted, startling Lanaya.

"Magina, how's your vengeance? Killed the dead god yet? Have you _eradicated magic_?" The barista laughed heartily as the waiter sunked in his seat in shame.

"Why is it so funny, Luna?" Lanaya questioned once more.

"I muttered some nonsense once, when I was intoxicated." Magina said, earning a surprised glare from the part-timer.

"That's an understatement." Luna added. "When he started working here, he was this posh, uptight asshole. Mortred _insisted_ on him loosening up."

"What did she do?"

"I don't know Lanaya, let's ask Magina what Mortred did." Both women turned to face the flushed waiter. "Well, Magi? What did she do?"

He sighed dejectedly, giving in to their desires. "She brought cannabis one day, and told me to partake in it."

"Wait…" Lanaya turned to Luna, eyes wide open in surprise. "Does Mortred…"

Luna shook her head. "No, she doesn't. I don't know where she actually got it."

"I got it from Mirana." Mortred said as she joined the others. "She said she got it from that vet lady."

"Oh, that actually makes sense." Luna commented.

"Anyway…" he said, bringing the topic back. "With the cannabis that Mortred had brought for me, I blacked out."

"You blacked out?" Lanaya asked, with Magina nodding in response. Both Luna and Mortred scoffed, with the older woman rolling her eyes.

"This _branleur_ was so up in the sky, Lanaya. It was hard to believe that it was actually happening." Mortred said, laughing in remembrance.

"He kept talking how he would bring '_an end to magic_' and how it was an '_abomination_.' It was the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen." Luna said, tousling Magina's mohawk.

"Please, do not remind me of my stupidity." He pleaded, but both Luna and Mortred shook their heads.

"Hey, Magina! We got another male employee here while you were gone!" Mirana said as she approached the others.

Sylla appeared behind her, his imposing figure startling Magina briefly. "Uh, good afternoon, good sir?" Magina held his hand out.

But instead of shaking it, Sylla held Magina's shoulder, his grip tightening, making sure Magina couldn't move, no matter how hard he squirmed. "Next time you make Selemene upset, I'll personally deal with you, boy." Sylla threatened, leaving Magina under the scrutinizing gazes of the women around him.

"That's right. Selemene was so pissed off that you just turned tail on some weird agenda." Mortred commented.

"Yes, and you made it hell more me." Shendel said, joining the conversation. "I was the only waitress for a year, with just Mirana sometimes helping me out."

"Look, I apologize. I just had to do some things with people I knew." He said.

"Like what? It couldn't be **that** important." Lanaya could only watch as her four older coworkers questioned the trapped Magina.

"Okay, fine! My colleagues and I were going up against a cult!" he calmed himself down as all five women stared intently at him. "There's this cult that existed for decades, and its upper echelon being embedded in the higher rankings of society."

"They call themselves the Cult of the Undying, and someone known as the 'Almighty Dirge' leads them." Magina had a hollow look, as if his life was sucked out of him. The four older women were also unresponsive, not knowing how to go about his tale.

Unsurprisingly, it was Lanaya that broke the silence. "Why did you guys stop?" she asked him.

"Because, just as we were about to uncover who this Dirge is, we were attacked. They were on us, like a horde. We had no choice but to split up." Magina looked around the room, a sudden feeling of paranoia rising within him. "We went to different cities, and I went here."

"Why were you running? Were they still after you?" Lanaya questioned on.

"I don't know. But it felt like there were eyes on me."

All of them were silent as they digested the information that was relayed onto them.

"Are there any cult members in Elze?" Shendel asked.

"No, our search had led us to finding out that King Ostarion had had them executed."

"Wait…" Mirana looked suspicious at the subject. "Are you saying King Ostarion knew who they were?"

"I don't think so. It was probably just a coincidence."

A sigh of relief escaped them as the thought settled in their minds. They all sat together in silence, although unlike before, there was no awkward air. Mirana standing abruptly startled them, as she looked at them; mostly Magina; with a smirk on her face.

"Alright, since you're back here," she pulled Magina off the stool. "get back to work!"

"Fine, fine." He said as he sauntered off to the patrons.

"You better make up for lost time, Magina!" Shendel said, serving as a light warning.

With the primary subject of their talks now no longer near them, Mirana went back to her managerial duties. Only Mortred sat at where she was, a question in her mind that she's been meaning to ask. "Hey, Shendel…"

"Yes?"

"What happened to your boyfriend?" she asked with a sly smirk. Both Luna and Lanaya joined Mortred when Shendel's face flushed red.

"He's not my boyfriend!"

"Oh? But you two look so good together!"

"Need I remind you that you almost killed him?" Shendel responded, and turning her attention to Luna. "Speaking of which; why did you send Mortred to my apartment?"

"We were just worried, Shendel." Luna answered. "I felt slightly responsible, because I was the one that sent him there."

"Yes, I noticed when he told me."

"So you two aren't getting back together?" Lanaya asked.

Shendel shook her head in response. "No. At least… Not yet. It still hurts." All three women nodded understandingly.

Mortred's face perked up as another question formed in her mind. "Where is he now?"

"He went back. He still has to get his professional degree." A soft smile formed on Shendel's face, the others as they were not used to such a hopeful expression on the waitress' face. "He's going to talk to Elodie about future arrangements."

"Oh, your youngest sister?" Lanaya asked, to which Shendel nodded. "That's great!"

Mortred brought all of them into a tight group hug. "Let's hope everything works out!" she said, encouraging Shendel.

_Let's hope everything works out indeed._ Shendel thought as she embraced the comfort of her friends.


	35. Changing Interrogation

**Changing Interrogation**

"What in the void's name happened here?"

Within the confines of the break room, Lanaya looked up from the text book she was reading to see Magina sitting across from her, his feet propped on the table as he balanced himself on the tilting chair. Lanaya propped her brow, mostly surprised at him initiating a conversation with her.

"What?" she asked in confusion.

"I've only been gone for a year, yet it feels like I'm in a whole different world." He said, exaggeratingly waving his arms.

"I… still don't understand what you mean." Lanaya closed her book, already feeling her time to study being pushed back.

"What happened to them?" Magina gesture to the door.

Lanaya tilted her head to the side. "Them?"

"Yes, woman. _Them_. They've changed."

"How so?" she asked him.

"Let's look at Luna, for example." Magina stood up from his chair, making his way to Lanaya's side of the table, still standing. "She was this cold, hard to approach woman. Very intimidating, and she hardly said anything nice."

"I'm pretty sure she's still intimidating. Plus, didn't she like to make jokes? Especially at the expense of others." Lanaya commented.

"That maybe so, but they were always snarky, mostly insulting jokes." Magina grimaced at a thought that went over him. "I could never respond, too. Always afraid that she'd do something to me if I did."

Rolling her eyes, she stood up to meet him. "Wow, you can't be **that** afraid of her. Wait a minute…" Lanaya's fisted hands met her hips. "Do you know anything about her past?"

Magina shook his head. "No, not a thing. Why?" Lanaya sighed, shaking her head before urging Magina to continue on. "Alright, that's just Luna. The others are also very different."

"Even Mirana?"

"Yes!" he let out an air of exasperation. "I've always seen her being awkward around Luna, being careful around the older woman. But now? She's very open and comfortable. When did they become best friends?!"

Lanaya rolled her eyes at Magina's overreaction. "I don't think they're friends, Magina. There's still a thin wall between them."

"A very _thin_ wall. A year ago, Mirana wouldn't even get close to Luna if they were alone because of how closed off Luna was. **Maybe** on a pleasant day."

"I think you're overreacting, Magina. They worked together for years, I'm pretty sure they're not as far apart as you think." She replied.

"Alright, fine. I might be overreacting here." He sat himself down on Lanaya's chair. "But what about Shendel?"

"What about her?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"When did she become all happy and full of delight? She always had this somber attitude around anyone." He said.

"Well, to be fair, that was very recent."

Magina jerked slightly. "Really?" Lanaya nodded, confirming his question. "Then what happened?"

Lanaya smirked, seeing Magina's curiosity. "Why don't you ask her yourself? I'm sure she wouldn't mind sharing."

Magina shook his head. "No, I do not like to intrude in other people's business."

"Then why did you even bother to ask me?" She asked with frustration.

Magina simply shrugged in response. "I hoped that it involved something that could be easily told by others."

"Alright, fine." Lanaya sighed, having trouble keeping a cool head. "What about Mortred? What do you think of her?"

"Actually, Mortred's hardly changed that much." A look of surprise flashed before Lanaya's face. "I guess the only significant thing is that she hands around Luna more often."He held his chin in thought. "Is she still friends with Shendel?"

"Oh, yes. Very." Lanaya replied.

"How about Sylla? How is he? He seems to be taking Luna's role." Lanaya could only chuckle as Magina moved on to Sylla.

"Well, I don't know about Luna's role…" she started, taking a seat next to Magina. "But he sure is protective of us. Especially Mirana, Shendel and I."

"Why only you three?" he asked her.

"Because Luna and Mortred can handle themselves." A baffled look was visible on Magina's face. "You said Luna had an intimidating air around her, right? You thought it was just for show?"

"Don't get me wrong, Lanaya, I was terrified of her. But I've never actually seen her in a fight." He responded.

"Then let's hope you won't get to. It was **horrifying**." Lanaya felt a shiver go down her spine as memories of Mortred's first night in Luna's apartment flashed in her mind.

"What else happened here? Anything exciting happen to the coffee shop?" Lanaya was slowly getting annoyed at the interrogation she was subjected to.

But she obliged, looking up in thought for recent events. "Hm… Not much has happened here, actually. Oh!" Lanaya's fist met her open palm. "The monarchy had coffee here like two months ago."

"Really? King Ostarion?" He asked in disbelief.

Lanaya nodded, feeling giddy over the fact. "Queen Akasha too! She was here before him, though enjoying Luna's latte."

Seeing Magina look down with a contemplative look, Lanaya took the moment to escape the situation, taking her book and moving to the other side of the table so she could study again. She continued on where she left off, attentively making footnotes at the bottom of each page to help her later when she continues on back at the dorms. This caused her to not realize that Magina had moved behind her, looking over her shoulder.

"What about you?" he asked, startling Lanaya, throwing her pen across the table.

She turned around with a scowl on her face, her displeasure clearly visible for him to see. "What do you want **now**?

"I'm talking about you. It looks like things started changing after **you** _showed up_." he said with suspicion.

"What are you implying, Magina?" she stood up to meet his height. "Can't you at least let me study, just for one second?"

"Push that off just for this moment." He closed the distance between them, their face being centimeters apart. "Are you, perhaps, the catalyst for this change?"

Lanaya pushed him away for her. "What the hell do you mean? Can't you just speak in words that make sense?"

"Yes, I see it now." All of a sudden, Magina burst out laughing, confusing the already annoyed Lanaya. "Everything happened, because of **you**."

"What?"

"Don't you see?" he held his hands out, his smile wide to show his pride. "You never noticed because you were the cause of all of this! Maybe I can ask Selemene if she knew all along!"

During his personal speech, he failed to realize that Luna had stepped into the room, looking at him with judgmental eyes.

"What are you two doing?" she asked, startling Magina.

An evil grin formed under Lanaya's mask, as a thought formed in her mind. "Magina's been harassing me all day!" she said accusingly.

"What?!" was all Magina responded with. "I did no such thing! I merely asked her a number of questions!"

Luna turned back to Magina with a tired expression on her face. "Just a 'number of questions', huh?" Luna brought her hand to Magina's shoulder. "Oh, Magi, for all your flowery speech, you sure can't take a hint."

"What do you mean by that, good woman!?" he asked disbelievingly. He caught sight of Lanaya leaving the room, an outline of what he would call an evil smirk visible through her mask. "Lanaya, do not leave me, please!" he called out.

She gave him one last look, showing him how much he annoyed her, before closing the door and listening to his anguished cries through the door. Lanaya restrained herself to just giggles, before making her way to Luna's vacant station, leaving a confused Mirana just as the manager was about to enter the break room.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

i'm planning on taking a short break, just so i can have time to rustle up my creative thought process.

at most it'll be just a week, so you guys can still stay tuned!

and i hope you enjoyed this late, and short, chapter! :D


	36. Gusting through the Lanes

**Gusting through the Lanes**

The city of Elze met the breaking dawn that greeted the new day, showering the land with a slow, but warming ray as the darkness slowly receded. Heroes Lane, in particular, was the first to feel the warmth, as the open area of the park made it possible for the early break to cover the land. The Protector was the only shelter that still provided the cool shade.

At the edge of the city's green park, a green clad woman was stretching herself before her jog. Dressed in a green track suit, the self-proclaimed "proud ginger" had just finished her stretching routine, before putting on green earbuds and tightening the laces of her shoes. When she made sure that everything was perfect, she played a song in the background as she started sprinting.

With the clear lanes thanks to the early weekdays, Lyralei jogged through with no hitch, enjoying the one kind of solitude she would embrace. The only type of people that would greet her were the homeless, people returning from the grave shift, or other rather peculiar early risers. She paid them no attention, though, for she was focused in her own thoughts.

Despite her fit physique, Lyralei seldom jogged unless she needed to work something out on her own, and this particular problem involved her introverted roommate. She's been putting all her energy in not only getting Traxex to "loosen up", but also to get closer with said roommate; but Lyralei feels like all her efforts are falling short. She was exhausted just thinking of her "failures".

While her mind was somewhere else, Lyralei failed to notice the pebbles on the ground, sending her tripping down on the ground. She braced her fall with her elbows, taking the time to catch her breath before getting herself back up. But she was surprised when a gloved hand appeared in front of her face, looking up to see a man clad in red and black, top heavy with a vest that did little to cover the scars that were laden across his torso. His face was even more scarred than the rest of his body. A soft, somewhat sinister smile formed as their eyes met contact.

Before Lyralei could say anything, the man grabbed her hand and pulled body her up. "Oh my, that must have been a terrible fall." He said, his voice sounding mashed with different tones. Lyralei could only guess that the man was speaking with a voice box.

Although deeply annoyed, she took off her earbuds and put on her brightest smile, giving the man a word of gratitude. "Thanks, but I really have to get going. Can't stop my momentum!"

"Oh, of course! Pardon me." He sidestepped, giving room for Lyralei, but he grabbed her arm before she could run off. "May I know your name?"

"What? Why?" Lyralei asked incredulously.

"Why, I would just love to get to know the lovely leaf that blew by." The man chuckled, and Lyralei could've swore that his voice sounded like a woman's.

"Charming." Lyralei replied sarcastically. "What are you, a poet?"

"A poet. Also a painter. And a writer. A musician. Even an actor." The man took out his wallet and drew a card from it. "I am just a _humble_ artist that wants to be acknowledge by the world for my talents." With the card in his hand, he offered it to Lyralei.

"What an admirable goal." She said, but before she could take the card, someone crashed into her, bringing her into a tight hug.

"Hey, I've been looking everywhere for you!" Lyralei turned to face who tackled here, and was surprised to see a lithe woman with hair as bright as the sun, putting hers to shame. Wearing a lime green tanktop and blue jeans, the woman turned to face the man. "I'm sorry I have to cut your meeting short, _Nevermore_, but I must take my friend and leave."

"Oh, by all means, don't let me hold you ladies back." Just as they were about to leave, Lyralei gasped as she felt the man's hand touching, feeling her hair. He gave her hair a whiff, letting out a breath of ecstasy. "Hm, I guess gingers _do have **souls**_…" The man gave a deep chuckle as they further distanced themselves from him.

When they were a safe distance from him, Lyralei's tackler breathed a sigh of relief. "That was close." She told Lyralei.

"What the hell was that?! Who was he?!" Lyralei demanded, still disturbed at what had just transpired. Then her eyes fell on the other woman's form. "Who are you?!"

"I, am the person that just saved your tight ass." Putting her hand on Lyralei's shoulder, she continued. "I'm also a vet."

The vet looked around the park, still weary of her surroundings. Lyralei could only glare at her, more annoyed that the vet wasn't answering her first questions. When the vet's eyes fell on Lyralei, a look of surprise replaced her relief. "What's wrong?" she asked with genuine concern.

"What's wrong? You still haven't told me what the hell just happened!" she bursted, the vet jerking away. "And who the hell was that guy?!"

"Look, calm down, and I'll explain everything. As much as I can." She waited for Lyralei to cool down, which didn't take too long. "Better?" Lyralei nodded, signaling the vet to go on about her explanation. "Look, red, you don't want to get involved with that guy. There's a lot of talk that talented people "disappear" when they come into contact with him."

"What do you mean? Is he a serial killer?" Lyralei questioned, now eager to find out what the man truly was.

The vet shook her head and shrugged. "I'm not sure of it myself. But, from what I've gathered, is that this man, _Nevermore_, is affiliated with the Angelo family."

"Angelo family? You mean that crime boss?" Lyralei asked, with the vet nodding in response. "Ugh, that's disgusting." Lyralei said, her face contorting as the words left her mouth. But then she suddenly turned to the vet. "You seemed to really know who he was, though. When you pulled me out." She saw the vet fidget around where she stood. "Why are you acting dumb?"

The vet sighed defeatedly. "Alright, you got me." She responded with her arms in the air. "I've been in contact with him, yes. But he doesn't remember me. At all." She grabbed hold of Lyralei's shoulders, pinning the ginger on the spot. "Look, just trust me. Don't _ever think of **going near him**_."

With apprehension, Lyralei took the vet's advice with a nod, although she was still weary with the help she got from a complete stranger. "Well, thanks, I guess…" Lyralei brushed the dust and dirt off of her, but she realized that the vet was still staring at her. "What?"

A sad sigh escaped the vet's lips. "I'm just glad he didn't take another person with him."

Seeing the vet set her rear on the grass, Lyralei's thoughts were no longer on her problems, but on what the vet was implicating. So, with her curiosity getting the better of her, she joined the vet on the ground.

"How come you know so much about him?" she asked the vet.

"I told you, red. I've been in contact with him." Guilt flashed before the vet's eyes. "Actually, more so with the Angelo family. I was in their leash for **years**. I'm just glad I don't have to put up with them anymore."

"How come you've never been this artist' victim?"

The vet shrugged. "I guess I just don't interest him."

Lyralei didn't respond, as she couldn't think of a way to shift the topic. Luckily for her, the vet took the initiative, standing up and giving Lyralei one last wave goodbye. "Be careful, red. Oh, if you have any pets, you can bring them to me! I work at the zoo!" she said, before running off into the distance.

Lyralei could only look on in awe, still finding the last half hour of her life hard to believe. With the vet's warning in mind, her thoughts came back to her original problems, and her initial intention on why she was jogging in the first place. So she got up, put her earbuds back on, and jogged on.

As time flew by, she realized that she was nearing a third of her intended route, opting to rest for a brief second, leaning on a nearby tree under its shade. At that moment she regretted not bringing some form of nourishment to sustain herself. She looked around the park, hoping to find some street vendor that could help her out, but her eyes fell on something even better.

Two sophomores that just so happened to be Lanaya's friends were sparring, but as she focused on them, she realized that in actuality, one of them was teaching the other the basics of self defense. The masked one was helping his friend up, looking beaten and battered from the exertion. She made her way towards them, with one particular goal in mind.

"Hey guys!" both Yurnero and Jah'rakal turning to face the person that greeted them. "You're Lanaya's friends, right?"

"Yeah. Who the hell are you?" Jah'rakal responded with venom, wincing as he felt pain in his abdomen.

"She's a senior, Jah'rakal. You ought to know that." Yurnero warned his friend.

"Why would I know that? It's not like she's the most important person in my life." Jah'rakal laid himself on the ground, oblivious to the glare that Lyralei gave him.

She shook the negative emotions off of her, and turned to face the more sensible of the two. "I see you two have been working out." Her eyes darted around the area, looking for something. "Did you come prepared?"

"Prepared for what?" Yurnero asked, still confused at what the senior was hinting at.

Lyralei sighed, rolling her eyes at her failed attempt in subtlety. "Do you have any water?"

"Oh…" Yurnero went to his bag and pulled out an unopened bottle of water, throwing it at the senior. "We have extras. You can take it."

"Thanks, _kouhai-kun_!" Lyralei smiled inwardly when she saw the masked sophomore flinch, before turning around and continuing her run with the newly acquired bottle in her hands.

The rest of her jog went by with no hitch or complication, although it did nothing to soothe her problems, as every second she spent thinking about it made her jog become a burden to her, as even though her body was accustomed to the exertion, her mind was the one that's getting exhausted. It was no surprise that she was now laying on the grass, staring up at the sky as the sun slowly rose. The only thing that made her jog bearable as of the moment was the lack of people in the park, courtesy of the weekday.

She pushed herself up, leaning with her arms to see the few people that were around; the acclaimed Guard Captain sitting on one of the park benches with a red hooded man standing in front of her. Both of them were having a heated conversation, moderated by a man with a red scarf and a scar down his eye.

During this, Lyralei heard the cries of an old man coming from somewhere not too far from where she was. Feeling that she couldn't deal with her internal problems as of the moment, she decided on making her way towards the cries, hoping it would keep her mind off of things.

Finding the source wasn't too hard, as the cries led her to a frail looking old man dressed in a white jacket and beige slacks. He was pushing a white bicycle next to him, with the basket attached to it holding bottles of odd, glowing water.

"Do you need some help, mister?" Lyralei offered.

The old man turned to face her, a bright smile forming on his face. "Oh, I'd be delighted with the help, young lady." He mouthed his relief to the skies, before facing Lyralei again. "I am looking for my older sister. She has been in this park since the night before."

"Do you know any specific place that she might be?"

The old man shook his head. "No. If I did, I wouldn't be in this situation." The old man looked agitated, as a thought came to him. "I really need to find her right away."

Lyralei giggled, seeing the old man's agitation and being unaccustomed to such a sight. "Alright, mister. What does she look like?"

"She's dressed in a blue colored priestess' robes."

With the description she needed, Lyralei set off to find the old man's older sister. But such a feat was easier said than done, as despite the fact that it was easier to single out the few that were in Heroes Lane that morning, it also meant that it was easy to see that the person the old man was looking for just so happened to be nowhere in the vicinity.

Because of that, her search took longer than she expected, ending up sitting on a small dock with her feet soaking in the park's lake. Her lack of success lead to her already dismal mood to plummet further. She looked at her feet under the water, finding some minor joy in splashing her feet around.

She sighed dejectedly, feeling lower than she wanted on this early morning. "I shouldn't have jogged." She said, voicing her thoughts to no one in particular.

"Is something the matter, dear?" she heard an airy voice call out behind her. Lyralei turned to her side to see the person join her on the dock.

Lyralei's eyes widened in awe, seeing a woman looking as ethereal as her voice; alabaster skin and hair reaching her waist as white as snow emphasizing how youthful she looked. The woman was dressed in an odd looking aqua-colored robe, with a thin material that shouldn't cover much, but Lyralei couldn't see anything underneath. Her blue, almost glowing eyes conveyed an age backed with wisdom, as she looked at Lyralei with understanding.

"You seem to be troubled, child." The woman asked again. "Is there anything I can do?"

Lyralei shook her head. "No, I don't think there is. But thank you for your concern."

Lyralei was about to get up, when the woman's warm hand touched her shoulder. "Please. I can still provide an ear; it pains me to see someone so distressed."

Lyralei smiled at the strange woman's kindness, and sat herself back down. They sat next to each other in silence, as the woman waited for Lyralei to let out her grievances to the world. And with a sigh, Lyralei began her little story.

"For the past few months, I've been trying to get close with my roommate. Making plans for the both of us, getting to know her; understand her, and just generally trying to get her to open up to everyone as well. But…" Lyralei let out a sad sigh. "it feels like I've just hit a brick wall. It's hard to get her around, and it feels like I'm just making her hate me."

"So, with these things in my head, I went for a jog this morning so I could settle them down, but I ended up not getting anything accomplished. I tried doing other things when it didn't pan out, like helping this old man find his older sister; which, by the way, sounds totally weird," the woman giggled at Lyralei's side comment. "but, even **this** isn't getting me anywhere."

Lyralei looked at the woman, getting sympathy from the woman's eyes. "I guess, it just sucks. I just wanted to settle things down; didn't expect it all to just go to shit, you know?"

"I think you need to give your friend a chance to respond." The woman held Lyralei's hand with both of hers, warming Lyralei with her touch. "She might be overwhelmed by your advances, but I'm sure she appreciates them. Maybe, if you go and give her some time, she can appear out of nowhere and finally repay you in kind."

Lyralei could only look into the woman's eyes, a relieved smile on her face as she felt the weight finally lifted off her shoulders, just from talking with the woman. "If only. Traxex's been very closed off since I don't know when. But thank you for your kind words, miss…"

"Io." The woman answered with a smile. "Priestess Io."

"Priestess?" the woman nodded. "Oh, the old woman I'm looking for is supposed to be a priestess. Have you seen someone like her?"

"I don't know." The priestess answered. "I'm the only priestess here in this park." A dejected look replaced Lyralei's hopeful expression, and the priestess noticed it. "Don't worry, dear. I'm sure things will work out."

Before Lyralei could respond, the sound of a bicycle's bell ringing near them caught their attention, the both of them turning their heads to see the old man Lyralei talked to earlier. He was making his way towards them, Lyralei already thinking of an apology.

"I'm sorry, mister, I couldn't fi…" Lyralei was cut off by the old man.

"Io!" the old man got off his bicycle and moved towards the priestess, bringing her into a hug. "I have been looking everywhere."

"Oh, younger brother. You're always such a worry wart." The priestess replied, returning the hug.

The old man turned to a flabbergasted Lyralei, her jaw on the ground in shock. "Thank you for finding her, Lyralei. Your help is greatly appreciated for all eternity."

"Uh, you're welcome…" a nervous laugh escaped her lips, but she furrowed her brows when something crossed her mind. "Wait… how do you know my name?" she asked the old man.

Both the old man and the young-looking priestess looked at each other, a knowing smile on their faces. They looked back at Lyralei. "That, is a question that has no answer, Lyralei." The priestess said cryptically.

She giggled at the face Lyralei was giving them. Seeing this as well, the old man took one of the bottles on his bicycle, handing it to Lyralei. "This will give you clarity of the mind."

"Ugh, thanks…"

"No, thank **you**." the old man got back on his bicycle, motioning the priestess to join him. "Come, Io. Nessaj will surely have a word or two for us."

"Ah, yes." The priestess got on the back of the bicycle. "Our oldest brother is known for his sternness." She looked at Lyralei before they left. "Remember, Lyralei. Give her some time, and soon she will show you the her gratitude for your advances." Lyralei slowly nodded at the priestess' words. "Good. Now, let's go, Ezalor. We shan't keep our brother waiting."

Lyralei sat at the dock, her eyes still locked on the retreating figures on the bicycle, the shock not yet leaving her system yet. But, with renewed vigor she got from the priestess' words, and a sip from the old man's bottle of water, she got up and took her path again, finishing her route to get the rest of her day started. Although her initial problems weren't resolved, she finished the rest of her jog in high spirits, hopeful of what could possibly happen in the near future.

Now it was reaching midday, with Lyralei resting on a park bench, finishing the drink she got before. She took off her shoes and her jacket, embracing the wind as if it was a long lost sister. She was in her own little world; to the point that she did not notice someone had joined her on the bench.

"Hey Lyralei…" Lyralei's eyes flashed open in surprise, turning her head to greet a certain introverted roommate. "Are you alright?"

"Traxex? What are you doing here?" she asked disbelievingly.

A blush formed on Traxex's face, turning her gaze away from her roommate. "Lanaya told me that you went jogging before dawn. And I know, that you only jog when there's something troubling you."

Lyralei felt her heart flutter, not expecting Traxex to knew of the little fact about her.

"So, what's wrong?" Traxex asked again with concern.

Lyralei wiped her eyes of the few tears that managed to break way. "Nothing. Not anymore." She said, earning a relieved smile from Traxex. Standing up, she had a new plan in mind. "Come! Let's get some breakfast!"

"Breakfast? It's past 11." Traxex rebutted.

"Fine, let's get some brunch! Pleeeaasse?" Lyralei begged, drawing out the words. Although hesitating, Traxex nodded with a smile. "Yay! Let's get some food, _Tra-chan_!"

"Oh, no. Don't call me that." Traxex complained.

"Nope." Lyralei responded, pulling Traxex off of the bench and wrapping their arms together.

"Aw, Lyralei, you _stink_!"

"That's the smell of my morning jog! It'll wear out soon enough."

And so, with Lyralei's jog ending better than she could ever hope for, she brought the protesting Traxex along with her for the brunch she had agreed on. Through this, she silently thanked the priestess for her clairvoyance, hoping to find her again, if only just to thank her.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

back, with more!

first of, i'd like to give a shout out to the **Knight in Blackest Armor **for the concept of Io (and Enigma, but we'll get to that in a later chapter.) thanks dude! i owe you one!

and, surprise surprise, this chapter lacks any of our protagonists (barring an in name only cameo from Lanaya), focusing instead on our extroverted senior.

hope you guys enjoyed it!


	37. Light in a Shaded Past

**Light in a Shaded Past**

"Hey, Luna. What is that man doing, standing over there?"

Luna looked up from her morning newspaper to see Magina leaning on her counter, his white eyes conveying the question he just asked. She tilted her head at him, giving him an annoyed look that made him back away slightly from the older barista.

"What're you talking about?" she said, voicing her irritation.

"That man over there." Magina pointed to the Dark Moon's entrance, a middle aged man with copper red hair and beard with a braid at the side. His blue eyes showed an older presence, wisdom through the experiences he had gone through. "He has been standing there, doing nothing at all."

Luna recognized the man as the same person who was protesting in the zoo the last time they went there as a group. "Find him a place to sit." She told Magina.

Magina scoffed at the request. "This is a coffee shop, Luna. Not a five star restaurant."

"Find him a place, Magi, or I will **make you** find him one." Luna said threateningly.

Feeling nervous being near the older woman's presence, Magina left to carry out the "request" before Luna could unleash her wrath. Luna let out an unbecoming laugh, satisfying her guilty pleasure of frightening her co-workers; a task that had become increasingly harder to accomplish as, with Lanaya's persistence, they had gotten closer over the past few months.

She heard a soft gasp from beside her. "Oh my God." Luna turned to see Mortred with her eyes wide and her hand over her mouth.

"What's wrong?" she asked the baker, who looked back at her with a serious expression, despite her cheeks slowly reddening.

"Luna, please keep him occupied, okay?" Luna raised her eyebrow at the strange request.

"What do you mean?"

"Make sure he doesn't leave early!" she said. "I want to make him something!"

"Aw, are you going to write a love letter?" Luna teased the baker, who pouted at Luna's words.

"Just keep him occupied!" Mortred responded, as she entered her kitchen again.

Luna shook her head at Mortred's behavior, pleased to see the baker act like a love struck teenager. As she turned back to her phone, she caught a glimpse of the man heading towards her counter, fortunately (or unfortunately) for her. He took a seat at one of the empty stools, still keeping to himself.

"Can I get you anything?" She asked him, the man still ignoring his surroundings.

A brief flash went by his eyes, quickly blinking and looking up to Luna. "I'm sorry. I had a busy day." He said.

Luna smiled sympathetically, handing the man a clear glass of water. She was surprised with herself of being outwardly friendly to a complete stranger, something that she'd never do before.

"What do you actually do, Chaplain?" she asked, creating small talk between them.

He took a sip of the water before he responded to Luna. "You know who I am?"

"I saw you not too long ago at the zoo, complaining with the zoo keeper."

"Oh…" the man met Luna's direct gaze for the first time. "You were with Auishtha last time?"

"Yes. And you still haven't answered my question."

The man let out a tired scoff. "Well, I've just been busy, getting my hands mixed up with the red tape that's everywhere within the church."

"What church is it, exactly?" Luna asked, constantly prodding the man with more questions.

"The Church of the Omniscience." The man downed his glass of water, Luna immediately refilling it. "There's too many corrupt people high up the church's ladder."

"And you've been trying to root them out?" The man nodded.

"Yes, but it has been a difficult task. They covered their tracks almost perfectly."

"But you've been persistent? That's some real dedication." Luna commented, earning a glare from the man.

"If not myself, then who? No one else is taking a stand to question the decisions and choices the church has made." Luna was starting to feel uncomfortable as the subject transitioned to something else entirely.

"Have you not gotten any outside help?" she questioned on.

"What good would that have done?" he said disheartenedly. "The City Guards are just as corrupt, maybe even more so."

Luna was about to mention how she knew people that could be trusted, but held back when she remembered the trouble Slithice and Slardar went through. She settled on a different party. "Do you know Detective Banehallow?"

"Banehallow? I've heard of him. The last major thing I heard he's done was help apprehending the _Scourge of the Plains_ through his investigations."

Luna cringed at being reminded of her past, but kept her face straight so as to not throw the man off. "But he was successful, and he's not affiliated with the City Guard."

"True." The man had his hand on his chin, looking on in thought. "I'll keep that in mind. Thank you."

"You're welcome, Chaplain." As she said this, Luna heard the door to the kitchen slowly open, the smell of something freshly baked invaded their nostrils.

Mortred appeared beside her, a fluffy looking loaf of bread on a platter on her hands still steaming. She placed the platter on the counter. "Here you go, sir!"

"Oh, thanks." The man took the plate, but was careful in touching the still hot bread. "I didn't order this, though."

"Uh, yes…" Mortred struggled with her words as she tried to come up with a believable excuse. Turning to Luna for help, she was instead upset at seeing the older woman's amused expression on her face, quickly jabbing Luna's stomach before leaving to her kitchen.

"Are you alright?" the man asked, but Luna shrugged him off.

"I'm fine. Just a tickle." Luna responded. "It's complimentary from the baker, by the way."

"Why did she make it?" he asked her.

Luna, looking at the door to make sure that Mortred wasn't near them, gestured the chaplain to approach her. "She has a crush on you."

A surprised, yet amused, look flashed on the chaplain's face. "Really? I didn't think anybody would be interested in an old middle-aged preacher, like me."

"She's always been quirky. It's not really surprising." Luna said with a hint of amusement, but a worried look replaced it when she saw the man make a peculiar expression.

"….She sure has grown…" he said quietly.

"What did you say?" Luna was worried at the prospect of someone else possibly knowing who Mortred was.

"Oh, nothing. It's just…" the man looked torn on whether he should tell Luna what he was thinking, and finally relented. "…I remember her coming after me, years ago. She was still very young…"

"What do you mean?"

"I guess I was a target for the Veiled Sisters, but I managed to convince her to leave me when she came…"

Luna, satisfied that the man wasn't a threat to Mortred, breathed out a sigh of relief. "What did you tell her?"

The chaplain had a soft smile on his face. "I told her that there was life outside of the Veiled Sisters, hoping that I could convince her to leave that path." His gaze fell on the door to the kitchen. "It makes me happy, at the thought that I might have helped bring her to a brighter path."

"Guess she didn't r'member you, huh?" Both Luna and the man were startled when Sylla joined the conversation, taking the stool beside the chaplain.

"Hm, guess not." He replied.

"Don't worry, pal. She doesn't r'member me as well." Sylla bellowed a hearty laugh, not noticing the confused look the chaplain was giving him, and the surprised expression Luna had.

"What? Sylla…" Luna had trouble forming words, still caught off guard by Sylla's confession. "she… what?"

"Ha, cat got your tongue, Luna?" he teased.

"More like a bear." Both the Dark Moon employees laughed at each other, before Sylla faced the chaplain again.

"Ya know, she was already soft when she came afte' me." Sylla draped an arm around the chaplain. "So ya must've done something to change her."

"And now she has a crush on you…" Luna leaned on the counter, closing the distance between her and the two men across her. "…maybe that's her subconsciously remembering who you are."

"Aye." Sylla agreed.

The chaplain showed a serene smile, his eyes watering as he felt a sense of accomplishment in changing someone's life.

"Well, looks like all of us have something in common, aye?" Sylla commented.

"What, the barista was also targeted?" the chaplain asked.

The custodian nodded. "But not by the baker. She's got lots of knives to her back because…" Sylla was cut off by a glaring barista.

"Don't you even think of it, you silly bear." She threatened, but only getting a smirk from the older man.

"Well, I guess that's enough leisure time for me today." The chaplain stood up, with the bread now in his hands. He gave the Dark Moon employees one last longing look. "Tell her that the bread was divine." He said, before leaving the coffee shop.

Sylla looked at Luna again, with a question forming at the tip of his tongue. "Are ya going to tell her?"

Luna shrugged, before turning her back to the custodian. "I don't see what's the problem. She'll be overjoyed to know the chaplain likes her bread."

"Not that…" Sylla groaned, moving himself to the other side of the counter. "About Mortred…"

Luna sighed, facing Sylla once more, with her hands on her hips. "Why don't we, for once, just let things go about on their own? I think it's much more appropriate for the chaplain to be the one telling her."

"Fine, Luna. Your judgment." Sylla turned and walked back to wherever he came from, leaving Luna alone at her station.

Of course, Luna knew better. She made sure that none of her coworkers were around, before squatting down to open one of the counters, revealing a certain ever-so-curious part-timer, covering her already masked mouth with her hands, still apparently holding a cloth.

"Are you always going to be around when someone's darkest secret is told?" Luna said with a hint of irritation.

Lanaya rapidly shook her head, a look of guilt plastered on her face, more so than before. "No, Luna! It was an accident, I swear! I was just cleaning your station!"

"Really?" Luna responded, arching her eyebrow in disbelief.

"Yes, Luna! You saw me cleaning this place before, remember?" Lanaya sighed, gathering her bearings before continuing on. "I just hid when things started getting personal…."

Both women stared at each other, one gaze judging the other's Luna then dragged Lanaya out of the counter, bring the part-timer to her height (or as close as she could).

Luna held Lanaya by her biceps. "You know a lot of secrets, Lanaya. Some day it's all going to come back and bite you in the ass, even _if_ you never told anyone else."

Lanaya nodded, her eyes closed as tears were straining to break free. Luna could see how guilty the part-timer was, bring her into a hug after the stern talking to. Lanaya's eyes opened in surprise.

"Just be careful. Secrets aren't a casual thing for people to pass around, okay?" Lanaya nodded, returning the barista's hug. "Good. Now let go of me."

And just like that, Luna was back with her tough shell raised, Lanaya could only laugh at the scenario she was in.

"You should be happy." Luna started. "I'm not prone to giving people hugs."

"Oh, then I guess Mirana's going to be jealous, huh?"

Both women shared a quick laugh, before Luna kicked Lanaya out of her station, sending the part-timer back to her duties.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

so sorry guys, with the **very** late chapter. i've been busy with school and work, and the only time i have some free time, i spent it watching some pro matches on BTS' channel XD

so, i guess you'll be seeing more sparser gaps between each chapter update now.

and hey, maybe some of you guys would like something in particular, maybe a request, for the next chapter? with the longer time gap, it might give me more creative sources to churn out.

anyways, hope you enjoy this chapter!


	38. No Diretide This Year

**No Diretide This Year**

On the hallowed night of the ending month, the citizens of Elze were in a festive mood, frolicking through the streets in costumed attire. Once a year, this unofficial "holiday" is celebrated by children and adults alike for varying reasons, be it perusing though residential streets in hopes of acquiring free treats, or grouping up with their peers, plans on enjoying the night shared amongst the many.

Luna, the Dark Moon Barista, was none of them. She was content in relaxing in her own apartment, watching the late night Diretide specials in her usual sleep attire, a glass of juice in her hand while the other was scratching little Nova's fur, the small kitten sleeping on her lap. She glanced to her right, looking at the dorms across the apartment building, shaking her head at the bustling commotion the college students were in. She shook her head at their antics, wondering if a certain part-timer was enjoying herself.

A knock on the door drew her attention away from the window, disrupting her little peace. At first Luna thought it was Mortred; coming back from her evening grocery shopping, but remembering that her temporary roommate had a key to her apartment, she silently cursed at whoever was outside, hoping it wasn't anybody trick or treating.

Putting Nova on the empty spot beside her, Luna made her way to the door, the constant knocking still echoing through her apartment. When she reached it, she looked through the peephole, sighing defeatedly at who was outside, slowly unlocking the door to greet her guest.

"Hey Luna." Her young student neighbor greeted, laughing nervously upon seeing the older woman's eyebrow twitch.

"Why are you here, Lanaya?" Luna questioned, crossing her arms over her chest.

Lanaya scratched the back of her neck, forming her response. "Can I stay for a while again?" she asked. "There's too much chaos going on at the dorms, and it's slowly getting on me."

She stared down the part-timer; who looked away from Luna's piercing gaze; wondering on what her decision would be. Feeling generous, she stepped aside, allowing the grateful Lanaya to enter the apartment. Closing the door, she finally gave what Lanaya was wearing a proper look.

The part-timer was dressed in a white cotton shirt and black leather pants; something that would fit in a Renaissance setting. She unclasped her cape that also had a hood with a pointed end. All kinds of jewelry adorned her chest to further compliment her whole outfit. Her usual face mask was replaced with another one in black with a tighter fabric.

Lanaya, upon folding her cape, saw Luna eyeing her down, making the part-timer to suddenly feel self conscious. "What's wrong?"

"What are you wearing?" Luna asked.

Lanaya looked down onto her attire, wondering what Luna meant till she remembered she was wearing a costume. "I'm an assassin." She answered with a laugh.

Luna scoffed, shaking her head as she went back to where she sat. Seeing this reaction, Lanaya pouted, upset at not getting a more favorable response.

"What's wrong with it? I worked hard on this." She said as she sat beside the older woman.

"It just looks weird, like all the other costumes people wear on this day." She replied.

"You don't like Diretide?"

"It's a pointless day. There's nothing to it." Their eyes met, Lanaya flinching slightly from Luna's gaze. "Especially since you're not much of an assassin."

"But it's fun! Have you never tried dressing up when you were young?"

"What do you think?"

Lanaya froze when she remembered about Luna's past; and more importantly reminding her of it; turning away from the older woman's face, fearing a venomous retort to come her way. When nothing came of it, she slowly turned back to see the unamused expression on Luna's face.

"I think you'll be a great warrior." Lanaya said as she tried to steer the conversation back. "Maybe a warrior of the moon? I'm sure you'd look majestic."

"Sure, Lanaya." Luna replied before taking a sip of her juice.

With a dejected sigh, Lanaya leaned back on the sofa, taking of her mask as she made herself comfortable. Feeling that something was off, she looked around the apartment, till it finally clicked on what was missing.

"Where's Mortred?"

"She went grocery shopping. She should be back by now, though. I don't know what's taking her so long."

"Does she usually take this long?" Lanaya inquired, with Luna shaking her head in response.

As if on cue, the sound of the door knob turning with made them turn their attention to it, seeing the door slowly open. Mortred peered through the door, not yet entering the apartment.

"Hey, Luna… How's your mood?" she asked out of the blue.

Lanaya was confused at Mortred's question, but judging from the barista's expression, Luna already has an idea on what was going on.

"Who did you bring?" she asked, annoyed at the prospect of her room having more people.

With a nervous smile, Mortred opened the door, allowing Luna to see the other people who were hiding behind the baker, as pointless as their attempts may be.

Behind Mortred were Mirana and Shendel dressed in white and purple dresses, respectively. Behind them was Magina, dressed in a simple violet colored robe. Lanaya could see the four of them looking nervous, Luna responding with an icy glare that's doing its job in freezing them in place. She stood up and made her way to them, Lanaya trailing behind her.

"Why are you three here?" Luna asked, allowing Mortred to enter, relieving the baker off of responsibilities.

"That party Selemene brought me to was boring." The manager answered first. "I found out that Shendel was also there, so we ditched the place."

"Aunt Aviliva brought me along too." Shendel added.

"So we decided to leave." Mirana continued on.

Both women felt uncomfortable under Luna's gaze, but sigh in relief when she shifted her gaze away from them, turning to Magina while allowing them room to enter.

"And what's your excuse, Magi?"

"I don't have anything clever to answer you with, Luna. Those two just came by me when I was walking." Magina answered, trying his hardest to not quake. "I didn't even know they were going to your apartment."

They stared each other for what felt like hours, till Luna closed her eyes, sighing as she relented and heading back inside, leaving the door opened for Magina to enter, which he followed suit. Upon closing the door, his eyes wandered around the room that he was in, surveying each crevice of the apartment. His line of sight fell on the women; both older and younger than him; all around the room.

Mortred had gone straight to Luna's kitchen, already preparing something with the flour she got out on the counter. Lanaya was beside her, assisting the baker while preparing a more appropriate dinner for all of them. Mirana and Shendel had situated themselves on the dining table, conversing with each other about the party they had run away from. The home owner was back at her sofa, ignoring using the T.V. as background noise as she played with the purple kitten in her hands.

Finding no suitable spots for him, he shrugged and went to sit at the solo couch, watching whatever was ignored by Luna.

"What are you supposed to be?" she asked. Magina turned to see Luna not even looking up.

"I'm a monk." He answered plainly, seeing Luna shake her head at him.

"And you two? What are you, _princesses_?" Mirana groaned at Luna's use of her nickname.

"No, it was just a "classy" party." Shendel answered for the both of them.

"You know, all we're missing is Sylla." Lanaya commented, earning a laugh from the two dressed women.

"He was actually there, also at the party." Shendel answered.

"Yeah, but he liked it, so we didn't invite him." Mirana added. "He was dressed pretty nice too. For an old man." The whole room (barring Magina) erupted in laughter at the image.

"How come you're not dressed, Mortred?" Lanaya asked to the baker beside her.

A knowing chuckle escaped the baker's lips. "Did you forget who this apartment belongs to?"

"Speaking of that, this apartment is barren. There is literally no decoration whatsoever." Magina commented offhandedly.

"Careful Magina, you wouldn't want to be kicked out." Said Mirana, seeing the glare that Luna was giving Magina.

"None of you are staying here." Luna announced, earning the cries of everyone in the room. "You're all leaving before I go to sleep."

"What time are you going to sleep, then?" Shendel asked, Mirana nodding beside her.

"I don't know, I'm not tired yet. Why?"

"Oh, then that means we'll just keep you awake all night long!" Mirana said with glee.

Falling into their trap, Luna could only relent, knowing that no matter the reputation she has, she couldn't do anything against the five of them. She groaned, knowing the fact that it was Diretide made her experience much worse.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

back, just in time for Diretide.

so, first off, i'd like to say how awesome it is, finding out that this fic is linked on Tv Tropes. it might not be a big deal, but being a troper myself, it's such an awesome feeling. :D

also, in regards to Lanaya's costume, those who follow Diredude's tumblr (diredude tumblr com) would know what i was trying to go for. (and no, no spoilers)

anyway, once again, thanks for reading!


	39. Forecast of the Red Mist

**Forecast of the Red Mist**

The bright piercing sun spread its heat over the city, embracing the land with its warmth one last time before the crystal powder covers it. The buildings were becoming decorated every day as Frostivus was approaching them with only less than two months away.

Unlike most days, on this sunny midday the Dark Moon coffee shop once again drew in some surprising attention, as one of the nation's nobles had decided on spending his time there. And not just any other noble, but the renown recluse; Abaddon, Lord of House Avernus. Sitting himself in a comfortable corner, he read his book under the hood that made it hard for people to see his face, with only his blue eyes showing through the dark.

And, unsurprisingly, he was the subject of intrigue for Lanaya, as she would spare a glance at the noble's direction on in a while. Sometimes either Mirana or Shendel would need to get her back to her duties, but it was their only waiter that asked her what was on her mind.

"Huh?" came Lanaya's lackluster response to said waiter's inquiry.

Magina sighed, used to the little respect he got from the others. "What is distracting you so much?" he reiterated.

"I'm not distracted." She denied, not willing to admit it.

"Don't bother trying to deny it. Luna told me to ask you what's wrong, and if I don't get an answer, she's going to do something."

A chuckled escaped Lanaya's lips. "Then maybe I should just stay quiet, huh?" she playfully threatened.

"Please don't." he responded, not wanting to deal with any sort of hassle.

"Fine…" she said with a pout, before facing the target of her fascination. "Do you know who he is?"

"You mean the noble?" Lanaya nodded. "What of him?"

"Isn't he a recluse? Why is he here?" she asked, embracing her curiosity.

"You think I, of all people, would know that? Why don't you just ask him."

"What? You're crazy! You'd think he give us a passing glance?"

Magina's hand met his forehead, already regretting the question. "Then just put everything you have up here," he prodded Lanaya's head with his finger, irritating the part-timer. "and just get back to work? We have better things to do than to ponder on about senseless things."

Lanaya frowned at Magina's words as they both looked at the noble. "You're no fun, Magina. Did anyone ever tell you that?"

"Yes." He said as he turned around, but not before freezing in place when his gaze fell upon the figures outside the building.

"What's wrong?" she asked, surprised at Magina's sudden stop.

He grabbed Lanaya by her wrist, dragging her to Luna's station. "Don't go near him. Leave it to Mirana."

"Who? What are you talking about?"

"Oh, he's back?" Luna asked offhandedly.

"Who's back?" Lanaya asked once more.

"Just some asshole retired general from the east." The barista answered.

"Exactly." Magina affirmed. "A whole pain to deal with. Looks like he's with someone though."

"It's his cousin. That man is what made sure this general didn't go over the line." Luna explained.

"Did it work?"

"No. That man is out of control." Magina sighed as he took a seat on an empty stool.

"Did you ever let loose around him?" Lanaya asked, ever so curious.

"Almost. Selemene would always drag me out of the room anytime it would happen."

"He can't be that bad, could he?"

Magina scoffed, rolling his eyes at Lanaya. "You have not seen how manic this man can be, Lanaya. It's best that we stay out of his range."

Both of them sat as far as possible under Luna's 'protection' as the general they spoke of entered the building with his cousin behind him. Both men had ponytails, but while the general had black hair, his cousin had white. What they wore also contrasted each other, as the general wore only a brown vest, showing his heavily tanned body, compared to the blue and black suit the other wore.

"Ah, we are back at this fine establishment. Ready to relax, Mogul?" the white heard man asked.

"Axe would be grateful if you would stop using Mogul, cousin!" the general bellowed, getting a knowing nod from his cousin as they made their way to an empty table. Both Magina and Lanaya silently cursed when that table was next to the noble's.

"Oh, this is not good." The waiter said as he stood up from his stool.

"Did he just call himself Axe? While referring to himself in third person?" Lanaya asked.

"Yes. General Mogul Khan, commonly known as the Axe to his enemies." Luna answered. "As long as he stays away from he, I don't care what he does."

"What? Luna, we have someone here that can cause trouble!" Magina complained to an indifferent Luna.

"Then why don't you get Mirana to deal with this? She's always the one to handle him." She said with a commanding glare, sending Magina out of her sights.

"What if things really do get out of hand?" Lanaya prodded.

"Then it's a good thing we have Sylla with us now."

Lanaya tilted her head. "You're not taking part? I would've thought you'd relish in the idea of punching someone."

"Sylla can be more levelheaded than me, Lanaya." The older woman answered. "It's one of the reasons why Selemene got him here."

"So you've actually seen him before he worked here?" Luna shook her head, before facing the younger woman.

"No, but Selemene likes to tell stories of him. And her other 'friends'." She said, gesturing air quotes with her fingers.

Mirana appeared before Lanaya could question more, a look of tired annoyance laden on her face more so than ever before. Magina was nowhere to be seen, with Shendel apparently taking his place as she trailed behind the manager. Mirana gave them all a quick glance, Luna being the last of them as the older woman gave her a gentle nod, sending the manager towards the upcoming stress she would endure.

"So he's back, huh?" Shendel asked, arms crossed as she leaned on the wall next to them.

"Yeah. Can't wait for him to leave." Luna commented.

"Does he come here often?" the part-timer asked to her senior co-workers

"Once every few months." Shendel answered for the part-timer. "That cousin of his only tagged only just as the year started."

"Good thing too. That guy's been there to make sure the _Axe_ doesn't do anything stupid." Luna said, envenoming the general's nickname.

"Why is he like that though?"

Both Shendel and Luna stared at each other, before addressing Lanaya's inquiry. "He's a bit… _unstable_."

Luna scoffed. "A bit? _Please_…. Whatever war he was a part of must've made some impact on him to leave him in this undesirable state."

"Luna." Mirana shook the three out of their own world, looking no worse for wear but her eyes were dimmed of energy, compared to air she projected even when stressed. "This is what he wants." She said, handing the barista the order. "I'm gonna get Sylla. I can't handle him anymore."

Luna set out to make the orders, leaving both waitresses to watch the scene that was slowly erupting. They saw the general and his cousin conversing; mostly the cousin making sure the general's attention was on him more than anything. He was successful, to a certain degree, but a quick glance at the quiet noble sent the general to alert, his eyes widening in mad rage. He stood up abruptly and made his way to the noble's table, slamming his fist on it.

"YOU!" he bellowed, even grabbing the attention of the other patrons. "HOW DARE YOU DEFILE THIS ESTABLISHMENT WITH YOUR INSOLENCE!?"

The noble looked up from the book he was reading, his face hard to read as only his eyes were visible. "Hm… General Mogul Khan. What a surprise." The Lord of House Avernus responded, his voice almost unheard to the ears around him, low as the mist.

"Mogul, calm down!" the general's cousin called out, but his words fell on deaf ears as the general held the table with his massive hands.

"YOU WILL PAY FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO AXE'S ARMY!" through sheer force of his grasp, the table crumble, piece by piece falling to the ground. The noble sighed, slowly standing up with the book in his hand and making his way to the door. The general grabbed the noble's arm, preventing him from moving on. "YOU THINK YOU CAN LEAVE FROM AXE'S WRATH?!"

The general drew his arm, and made to strike the noble, but instead of it making contact with flesh, his fist was deflected by the book the noble held in his other hand, sending the general tumbling from the imbalance. But he was quick on his feet, already up and pulling his arm again. But this time the noble held his ground, prepared to take in whatever blow the general could throw at him. With nothing else but rage in mind, the general ran towards the noble as the other patrons had left the room, but before his fist could connect again, and shocking bellow stopped them.

"Enough!" a deep elderly voice filled the room, drawing the attention of the noble and the general.

Sylla stood in the middle of the room, arms crossed as it held a broom. The two waitresses were watching on in awe, as the barista had unbeknownst to them been dragged out of the room by the owner, two beverages already prepared on her counter for the general and his cousin. Luna had the foresight to prepare them to be taken out.

"Why don't ya take your quarrels outside." The Dark Moon custodian said as a warning.

The general was about to lash out but was stopped by his cousin, calming the enraged general as he took the beverages and quickly brought the both of them out of the building, not before profusely apologizing for the general's behavior. Lord Abaddon, meanwhile, simply stood where he was, looking around the room and the mess that was made, shaking his head, before making his way to the custodian.

"I apologize for this endeavour." He said, taking out his wallet and drawing a handful some of money, handing it to the two waitresses. "Hopefully, something like this won't happen again."

Shendel chuckled, rolling her eyes before responding to the noble's comment. "Knowing him? Unlikely."

They shared a soft chuckle; Lanaya too joining in; before he gave Sylla another glance. With a nod from the custodian, the Lord of House Avernus left the establishment. Sylla sighed as he made his way made his way to fix the mess in front of him as the few patrons that stuck around made their way back to their respective seats.

As Shendel slowly counted the generous sum the noble had handed to them, she was oblivious to the curious look Shendel was giving her.

"Was Lord Abaddon ever in a war?" she asked.

"I think so, mostly serving as a strategic advisor, if I'm not mistaken." She answered, not taking her eyes off the bills. "I didn't know it was the same war, though."

"I'd never thought he would ever be part of something like that." She said, pleasantly surprised by the revelation.

"You'd be surprised at what the nobles of this nation are capable of. Even if they're a recluse, like him." Finally meeting her younger co-worker's gaze, she handed her the money. "Take this to Mirana. It's her job to detail these things, after all."

Rolling her eyes at Shendel's words, Lanaya left the room, glad that whatever conflict that was supposed to happen be dealt with so quickly, although she was secretly disappointed by it, having had the others work up her excitement.

_Oh well. I'm sure the_ Axe _would come around again._


	40. Reunion

**Reunion**

A lonely bus crossed the city's borders at the break of dawn, venturing deeper through the city streets as it made its way to Elze's intercity terminal. The rough sounds of its engine blared through the rising ears, those unfortunate enough to be resting when it passed by them. The bus, and its driver, awaited for their well deserved stop after having pushed on the previous night, ignoring the well placed rest areas in favor of reaching their destination sooner than expected.

The bus wheezed as it finally stopped at the terminal, the passengers slowly shuffling out of it as soon as the door was opened. A young girl in her late teens made herself blend in with the crowd, adorned in a dark blue jacket that were just long enough to reach her thighs, the hood of propped over her head, shielding her dim red eyes and platinum blonde hair. She took her bag from the bus' storage compartment and quickly made her way out of the terminal.

Once outside, she took a look at her surroundings, her mouth gaped in awe as she saw Elze's Royal Palace just off in the distance, a grand and majestic park right in front of her, blocking her view of the rest of the city. She shook her head and straightened herself before crossing the road and making her way into the park, glancing at the sign above the entrance. "Heroes Lane" it said in a grandiose font.

Her eyes wandered around the park in a look of childish innocence, inspecting every nook and cranny of the flora that filled the sidelanes, stopping once in a while in front of an early opened stall, perusing through the souvenirs they had in stock. She purchased only one thing; a cap adorned with fake leaves with the words "The Protector" written across it. She bought a bottle of Clarity branded water before heading deeper into the park.

It wasn't long till she found herself in the presence of the namesake of the cap she was wearing, the tree towering even most buildings if any were to be compared. Once again, she was in awe at the sheer magnitude of the tree, also glancing to the growing saplings that were coiling around the statues around them. She dropped her bag on the ground and sat herself under the shade, resting herself before she would continue onwards to her destination.

Her rest was about to be disturbed, however, when she caught sight of a short, fidgety man, holding an axe as tall as him, making his way towards one of the three main trunks in the middle. He wore a grey hard hat with a pair of goggles over his eyes, with oversized yellow gloves over his hands. She could hear the man cackling to himself as he neared the tree, his eyes moving up and down as it gauged the tree.

He held the axe with both his hands, pulling it back. "Someone once told me I needed to face fear to get over it, and _I_ thought well why not take a _step further_" the man struck the tree with the axe, pulling it back again. "and _cut_ my fear into _little pieces_" he struck the tree again, his arms going on a frenzy as he struck it again, and again. "then _set_ my fear _on fire_ then throw the _hot ash of my fear into a lake and then poison the lake. **Simple!**"_

The girl slowly backed away from the scene she was witnessing, clearly unnerved by the deranged man as he tried with all his might to destroy the Protector, but he only succeeded in cracking the surface of the trunk. But the look in his eyes indicated that he did not care, simple cathartic with glee as he made the area around him full of debris, covering it with splinters.

"Stop right there!" a woman wearing a blue and orange tracksuit said, pointing a gun at his direction. She had an orange headphone around her neck.

The deranged man ignored the woman's warnings, still trying to chop the tree into pieces, despite his futile efforts. "I'm warning you!" she warned again.

But the man was still in his own world, oblivious to his surroundings. A defeated sigh escaped the woman's lips before she fired the gun, but instead of a bullet, like the young girl was expecting, two wires instead were launched, embedding itself on the man, sending him to the ground as he twitched uncontrollably thanks to the electrical current now coursing through his body.

The woman disconnected a cartridge from the front of the gun before putting it back into the fanny pack that was around her waist. "Could never catch a break." She said as she made her way to the man's twitchy body.

The young girl could only watch as, who she assumed to be a City Guard, made sure the man was alright, taking her phone out while doing so. "Slardar, can you meet me at Heroes Lane? I have a problem here, near the Protector."

Feeling uncomfortable at what had just transpired right before her eyes, the young girl stood up with her bag in her hand and continued down the path she had intended on taking, leaving the City Guard to deal with the unstable man. Her path lead to a more open area of the park, allowing her to see more people exercising under the healthy morning sun; or just families spending quality time together. Her face fell at the sight of those families, envious and longing of a family unlike hers. She shook her head and continued on, putting the thought behind her as she reminded herself of what she had planned on achieving this very day.

A particular group on the field caught her attention as she walked on by; three similar looking men wearing different colored clothing sat in a meditative pose, circling each other. The man in red wore a calm expression on his face, while the one in green was frowning; from what, she could not figure out. The man in blue, however, had a soft smile on his face, moving his head along to some tune he was humming.

With a grunt, the man in green opened his eyes and glared at his blue counterpart. "Raijin, can you please stop humming? It's disturbing me."

"Oh, so sorry cousin," the man in blue stood up and distance himself from the one in green, pirouetting along. "I just can't get this beat out of me. I **must** express myself!" he said, dancing in a way that made the young girl's jaw drop.

The man in green frowned, but he calmed down when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Let him be, cousin."

"Aren't we supposed to be meditating? Per your suggestion, Xin?" the man in green complained.

The man in red nodded his head, his eyes still closed as he meditated. "Indeed we are, Kaolin. That is Raijin's method."

"Are you going to go on a tirade about how I should find my own method?" the green one said, still voicing his complaint.

"You should know yourself." Came the red one's response. The man in green gave a gruff response before closing his eyes again, intent on meditating.

The young girl giggled before continuing on once more, reaching the other end of the park, seeing the streets now filled with traffic. She took out her phone to get a quick glance at the time, surprised that she was in Heroes Lane that long. _09:21_ she read, sighing before she put pocketing her phone. Her stomach grumbled, reminding her of the breakfast that she had not eaten yet. She settled on buying a sandwich a street vendor was selling.

She stood next to the vendor as she ate her breakfast, content with it as she watched the people shuffling along, some quicker than others as they started their morning. Just as she finished the sandwich, throwing the tinfoil wrap into a nearby trashcan, a girl just around her age appeared, a wide smile plastered on her face as she approached her.

"Good morning! May I have a moment of your time?" she asked.

The girl eyed the person in front of her, seeing her wear an entire black ensemble, including the black-rimmed glasses.

Feeling slightly pressured, she nodded, sending the girl in black into a wider grin. "Excellent!" she took out a piece of paper, handing it to her fellow teenager. "Have you heard of the 'Broodmother Foundaition'?" she shook her head, signaling the girl in black to continue. "It's a foundation intent on saving children from the streets, taking them under one roof so we can give them a better upbringing, providing the necessary resources, such as food, clothing, education, etcetera."

The girl in black took out an envelope and handed it to the young girl, who took off the cap she wore and wiped the imaginary sweat off her forehead from the amount of information that was handed to her. "Maybe you can give this to your parents? We would appreciate any sort of donation, if possible."

The young girl grimaced when the subject of her parents were brought up, shaking her head. "I… don't think that's possible."

"Oh…" the girl in black drew her hand away, cursing to herself for making the situation uncomfortable. "…maybe you'd like to come with us?" she asked.

The young girl in blue shook her head. "No, I'm actually here to meet my sister."

"Oh, that's great!" she expressed, giving a short hug, before moving onto a different subject. "Are you even from here?"

"No." the young girl answered. "I just arrived in the city this morning."

The girl in black furrowed her eyebrows, intrigued at the stranger to the city. "Have you even heard of the 'Broodmother', before?"

"No. Why?"

A let out a breath in relief, before answering the question. "Oh, nothing important. Thanks for listening, anyway!" she said, waving to the girl in blue.

"Wait!" the young girl called out, stopping the girl in black in her place. "I can give some money…"

The girl in black spun on her heel to face her blue counterpart, a look of surprise on her face. "You don't need to, really."

"I insist. I'm sure the children of the 'Broodmother Foundation' need it more than me."

The girl in black showed a smile of gratitude as the young girl handed the money she had. "Thank you." She said, taking the donation and putting it in an envelope. "In return, I'll help you out with anything you need. My name's Noire, by the way."

The girl in black held her hand out, with the young girl taking it with hers, the two of them pleased with this pleasant encounter. "Elodie."

"Well, Elodie, is there anything you need? This new city must be a lot to handle for a newcomer."

"Actually…" the young girl, Elodie, took her phone out once again, showing it to Noire. "Do you know where the 'Dark Moon Coffee Shop' is?"

"Oh, yeah! Come, I'll take you there myself!" Noire said excitedly, dragging Noire by her hand.

One bus ride later, the both of them stood outside the coffee shop, Elodie feeling anxious of what awaited her inside. Noire could only look with curiosity, wondering what was making Elodie feel so uneasy.

"I take it that… your sister works here?" Noire asked, getting a nod from the blue clad girl. "And you both have some issues?"

Elodie shook her head at the assessment. "No. Well… at least I hope not." She sighed, unsure of how to approach the situation.

Noire smiled, giving Elodie a soft squeeze on her shoulder. Elodie, in turn, looked at Noire with a gratified smile. "Where's your phone?" Noire asked. Elodie, confused at the question, took her phone out of her pocket. Noire took it from Elodie's hands, fiddling with the phone for a moment before handing it back. "That's my number. If you need anything else, just call me, or text me!"

"Thank you." Elodie replied, gripping her phone. "It's nice, to have a friend in the city." She commented offhandedly.

Noire chuckled in agreement. "I know, right?" she lightly nudged Elodie towards the coffee shop. "Good luck with your sister!" she said before leaving Elodie, the both of them waving to each other as they parted ways.

Elodie, pocketing the phone again, breathed in once more before opening the door to the coffee shop, striding inside it. She was greeted with a calm atmosphere the coffee shop had, seeing the small number of patrons who were as early as her. She look around the room, seeing the small platform; a makeshift stage; that was in front of the tables, seeing a battered lance above the coffee machine, adorned like a trophy.

A man clearing his throat drew her out of her own world, and she found that she was face to face with a man with white eyes and a Mohawk that was staring expectantly at her.

"Is there anything you need?" he asked, his voice laden with a tinge of annoyance.

"Uh, ahem…" Fumbling with her words, Elodie closed her eyes and calmed herself down, before answering the man. "I'm looking for my sister."

The man raised his brow in confusion. "You sis… ter?" a sudden realization came across his face, and now it was the man's turn to fumble with his words. Quickly shaking his head, he grabbed the girl by her shoulder and brought her to the barista's station, who had another young waitress and a woman in an apron next to her.

"Hey Luna, this girl said she's looking for her sister. Do you know something about that?" the waiter explained, sitting the girl in one of the empty stools.

The barista looked up from the newspaper she was reading, glaring at the both of them, but her expression immediately softened when they landed on Elodie, a knowing smirk now on her face. Both the young waitress and who appears to be the baker were now shocked as to who it really was that was in front of them.

"Just get Shendel here, Magi." The barista said, sending the waiter off.

"Are you… really?" the young waitress said, her hand over her masked mouth.

"_Oh, mon Dieu._" the baker said, leaning on the counter with a hand on her cheek.

"Hey guys, what's wrong?" a woman in a white blouse asked as she approached them. The barista merely motioned to Elodie before going back to reading the newspaper, making new woman's eyes widened at the sight of the young girl.

Elodie could only feel her heart race faster than ever, seeing the reactions her sister's coworkers were giving her just from her mere presence. She closed her eyes and tried to calm herself down, negative thoughts on how her sister would react now overloading her mind, but they were all quelled when the sound of a familiar voice reached her ears.

"Elodie?" the young girl opened her eyes to see her sister's surprised expression.

And with that, all the pressure she had before dissipated at the sight of her eldest sister. "Hey Shen. How are you doing?" she said, mostly to fill the silence. She continued on, oblivious to her sister slowly approaching her. "I figured that, you know… I could drop by, becau-"

She was cut off when she felt Shendel hug her, the embrace slowly tightening as Shendel was still in disbelief at the sight of her youngest sister. Elodie could feel Shendel's body twitch, then hearing her cry as Shendel struggled to keep her tears inside.

"Come on, sis, don't cry." Elodie said, though her own voice was also cracking as she too was holding the tears that were struggling to burst. "We're making a scene."

Shendel shook her head. "I don't care." Was all she said as her gripped took the breath out of her sister.

Elodie finally couldn't hold it back any longer, as her own tears finally broke free as she hugged her sister back, the both of them too caught up with their emotions to care about the soft looks the rest of the Darkmoon employees were giving them, happy to see Shendel at her highest.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

FYI: Noire **is not** Broodmother, but in fact one of her daughters. she has more than one (obviously), most of them adopted. and their names will be some translation of "Black", since her name here would be Arachnia, the "Broodmother" (i'll also explain in a later chapter why she's knows as such)

also, i hope you guys had fun with Shendel's youngest sister. just in case you forgot, it was her middle sister that screwed up the family. (at least in _this_ fic)

hope you guys enjoyed it!


	41. Catching up with the Past

**Catching up with the Past**

A purple motorcycle sped through the moonlit streets, weaving through cars in ungodly speed. Shielded by her helmet, the rider held a deep scowl at what was asked of her as she made her way to the Guard Hall. The fact that Selemene and the nosy manager; who was slowly warming on her; would also be there did nothing but lower her mood even more.

It wasn't long till the greenish-blue tint of her destination was visible at the end of the street, ultimately ending with her driving to the parking lot behind it. She parked her motorcycle next to the white sedan of the manager, who had waited patiently inside it. When Luna took her helmet off, her gaze fell on Mirana, with the manager grinning sheepishly as they stared at each other.

Luna had made her way towards the building before Mirana could make a comment. She sighed before following the barista in. Amidst the bustling commotion of the City Guards, they could make out Selemene's form at the opposite end of the room, chatting freely the Guard Lieutenant they knew as Slardar. Selemene's face perked up upon seeing her two trusted employees approach her.

"Finally, Luna. We've been waiting for you." She said as she drew her arm around the barista. "Come now. Cheer up, you've done nothing wrong." She assured Luna.

"That's right, Luna." Slardar piped in. "We just need your help with a few things. This will only take a few minutes; an hour max."

Throwing an unamused glare at the Lieutenant, she told him, "Let's just get this over with."

With a nod, Slardar brought the three women along deeper into the building, directing them to a shelled off room. Upon opening the door they saw two figures beside a table with a messy pile of file on top of it. One of the figures was the Guard Captain Slithice, dressed in a more casual version of her usual uniform as the signs of stress were visible on her face. The other figure was a masked man in a black and blue suit; the mask itself was shaped with some demonic pattern.

Slithice, upon seeing her newest guests, smiled. "Ah, I've been waiting for you." She said as she moved to give each woman a hug. "Sorry we had to get you here on such short notice, Luna, but we need your help. Oh," she gestured to the man in the suit. "this is the Executioner, as you might have known."

"I never thought I'd see the _Scourge of the Plains_ again, and under these circumstances too." All heads turned to the man as he stood up and approached Luna, her arms crossed over her chest defensively as she scowled back at the man.

"So you're still alive, _Razor_." she said with venom.

The man smirked behind his mask, turning to the bewildered Guard Captain. "This **wonderful** lady once helped me with, _unsavory_ tasks, with her female companions." He turned back to Luna. "She was especially _distrustful_ of me. I wonder why?" he said, tilting his head.

"Only a _fool_ would trust a person like you." She responded, not dropping her scowl.

Razor closed the distance between himself and Luna, and from behind her Mirana just realized how absurdly tall the man was as he stared her down. "And what kind of person, _am I_?"

Luna stared back at him, unfettered. "A person hiding his dark soul behind a white public persona." She said.

The room was quiet as they stared at each other, till the man slowly took his mask off, showing his heavily scarred face. His blue eyes stood out the most, as three vertical lines ran down each eye. Razor smiled, unnerving only a certain manager as she shifted her gaze away. "You mean, just… _like… you_?"

The rest of the room was on alert, more so the Guards who had their hands on their batons just in case something would break out. But what happened next surprised them; especially Luna, as he suddenly hugged her. Although she couldn't see it, his face still had the sinister smile as a deep chuckled escaped him.

"My business has been all too _quiet_ since you were taken by the City Guard. I'm so glad we can catch up." He said.

Luna didn't care whether his words were sincere or not as she pushed him away. "Don't get too close to me, Razor. I'm here only because the City Guards had need of me."

"So am _I_, Luna. Why, the Guard Captain here personally picked me up from my little office just to escort me here."

"Alright, enough you two." Slithice said as she moved between the two. "It's a good thing you two know each other, this should make things easier. Now, if you'd follow me to the table…"

As both Luna and Razor followed the Guard Captain, with Slardar behind them, Mirana pulled Selemene back. The older woman looked at the manager, who had a look of uncertainty.

"Are you sure it's alright that we're here?" she asked nervously. "Aren't we just, disturbing them?"

"Not if we're quiet." Selemene answered with a reassuring smile. "Luna wouldn't step foot in here if I'm not with her. And I want you to understand her past."

Hearing this, Mirana looked like she was deep in thought, before nodding to Selemene, with the two of them joining the others on the table.

The table, as it turns out, had mostly autopsy reports of various gang members, their bodies were gaunt and their eyes and mouth were wide open, as if their very soul was sucked out of them. Slithice handed each person a photo; even Mirana, who reeled in disgust; so they could inspect every detail of it.

"These are the bodies of recent murders that have been happening across the nation, mostly around Elze and the neighboring cities." Slithice started. "For the past two years, we've been trying to apprehend this person, but our efforts so far have been fruitless."

"This looks like the Lifestealer's doing." Luna said, with Razor nodding beside her. "I thought he disappeared, though."

"Our suspicions did fall on him, at first. But…" Slithice took out another photo from under the messy pile, showing it to the room.

"He's dead?" Luna responded incredulously.

"Funnily enough, no." Slithice answered. "He's in a comatose state right now."

"What happened?" Mirana asked, immediately regretting her action as all eyes went on her.

"N'aix was legally dead. His body was already opened up, as you can tell from that picture." Slardar answered for her. "But then his heart started beating again, and before you know it, he was up and awake, writhing in pain."

The sound of Razor chuckling drew attention away from her, and as relieved as she was at that, it sent shivers down her spine.

"Okay, so it's _not_ the Lifestealer. Perhaps it's the _Artist_? That ever crossed your mind?" he said, earning a groan from both City Guards.

"I sincerely hope it's **not** him." The Guard Captain said as she covered her face with her hands.

"That asshole's under Angelo." Slardar said, voicing his frustration. "We can't even touch him without being reprimanded by the higher ups."

"But it's not the Artist though, since he doesn't leave any bodies." Luna commented.

"You guys know who this Artist is?" This time it was Selemene that asked, Mirana herself also wanting to know the answer.

"We have an _inkling_." Slithice answered. "But we don't really have any concrete evidence."

Slardar slammed the table, startling the group. "Bullshit!" he said. "That asshole admitted it to our faces!"

"I know, Slardar. But there's nothing we can do." The Guard Captain assured her Lieutenant, patting him on the shoulder.

"What are your other leads?" Luna asked.

"All of our other leads are here on the table." Slithice pointed. "Whoever this is is going after other 'dangerous' people."

With a sigh, Luna turned to face Razor, the well-dressed man responded with a sly smile. "Why can't your boss be here?"

"What are you implying?" he replied with a raised eyebrow.

"Isn't she supposed to have connections? You always had these familiars running around the city with you."

The man chuckled once more. "I refrain from having eye contact with Necro'lic, Luna. She's not exactly, _fond_ of what I do, behind the curtain."

"And she doesn't want to leave her premises." Slithice added, clutching the side of her head. "We wanted this meeting because it won't reach their ears."

"Who's ears?" Mirana asked again.

"The higher ups." Slardar responded with a scowl. "The corrupt fucks hinder our every movement, especially when they have eyes and ears around the city. Fortunately, and rather ironically, the Guard Station is one of the very few places that they don't monitor."

"Mostly because they think it's in their hands." Slithice added. She turned her attention back to Razor, who's face fell to neutrality. "What do you say, Razor? Can we get a meeting with her?"

Mirana didn't know what's worse: Razor's cold smile or his unnatural flat expression. His sudden smile finalized her answer, as he talked back to the Guard Captain. "As much as I, _deplore_ the notion of seeing her, I _can_ get her to join this little meeting of ours. **But**," he raised his finger to augment his point. "she _really_ does not want to leave her premises, as you know, _Guard Captain_."

Both the City Guards looked at each other, a silent conversation exchanged between the two before Slardar slowly nodded with a tired sigh. "Set it up." Slithice said, immediately making her way out of the room, the others slowly stood up following her.

"Do I have to be there again?" Luna asked the Guard Lieutenant.

"Yes." He answered, Luna frowning in response. "We don't know anybody else with a background such as yours, Luna. Nobody has this much of a connection with the world you left behind."

"Why don't you ask a certain 'former Sister' for help too?" she responded with annoyance.

"You very well know how the Veiled Sisters operate, Luna."

She sighed again, tired of in this environment, but slightly perked up when a thought crossed her mind. "What if I bring along someone I was with, back then?"

Slardar looked surprised at Luna's notion. "Are you saying you came into contact with someone that was with you during the day we arrested you?" Luna nodded, prompting Slardar to continue. "Slithice would like that. Alright, bring her along."

Behind them, Selemene held Mirana back. "We don't have to go along with them, Mirana. So you don't have to worry."

"Oh, thank God." She answered with relief. "So we're leaving now?"

"You can go on ahead." Selemene responded. "I want to have a word with Slithice before I leave." She said, leaving the manager alone, as Luna had left before her.

She was startled when she heard someone behind her clear his throat, reminded of the fact that the Executioner had not left the room yet. She moved aside to allow him to pass by her, but not before commenting on him.

"What's wrong with you?" She said, still unnerved by his behavior.

Razor stopped where he stood, turning on his heel to face the manager, still with the grin that perturbed her so. "What's wrong with _me_?" he asked.

With a slow nod from Mirana, Razor chuckled before he continued. "Do _you_ ever get that, _sensational_ feeling when you see someone; _anyone_, let out their **last** breath of air?"

Mirana shook her head, suddenly wanting the man to stop but knowing she wouldn't be graced with such a wish. "Such a _shame_. But I'll have _you_ know, that it truly is a **wonder** to work in such a field, knowing **nobody** can stop me."

And with that, Razor put his mask back on and left the terrified manager, all the while filling the room with his laughter. Mirana rushed out of the building, eager to make her way to her own sanctuary and rid herself of the memory of the Executioner from her head.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

so, can anybody guess who this mysterious murderer is?

also, i've decided on taking "artistic liberty" on who Razor's boss is. i'll explain later on the chapter where this boss appears.

hopefully you guys enjoyed this one!


	42. Reacquainting with the Past

**Reacquainting with the Past**

While Luna was in the Guard Station, accompanied by her boss and manager, the Dark Moon still had the everyone else cleaning the place as the closed up. The waitress' younger sister, Elodie, was sitting alone in the barista's station with a cup in her hand as she watched her older sister and her co-workers around the room. The old janitor was mopping the other side of the room, while Shendel wiped the tables as the waiter set the chairs atop the tables.

Her vision trailed to the part-timer who had volunteered to finish Mirana's less appealing managerial duties involving paper work. She tried to look for the last employee, but was startled when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see a figure taking the stool beside her.

"Hey…" it was the baker, leaning on the table with a grin on her face, unperturbed by the flour that dirtied her clothes. "_comment ça va ?_"

Elodie looked back at the baker with a confused expression on her face, not understanding what she just said but having a _slight_ idea on what was implied.

"Not everyone knows the language, Mortred." She heard the part-timer say in earshot. The baker laughed wispily, brushing off the comment before facing Elodie once more.

"You're new to the city, _oui_? Must be startling." She went on, draping an arm around the teenager. Elodie tried to scoot away, uncomfortable with how messy the baker was.

"Uh… it wasn't so bad." She felt awkward as Mortred raised a brow. "I think I got a friend."

"Oh, that's _grand_!" Mortred responded enthusiastically. "That's better than what most of us had, right guys?" she addressed the rest of the room, nudging her eyebrows. All she got in return were grunts from them.

_I'd better not ask._ she thought, already picturing how Shendel's first few months in the city would be like and comparing it to the others. She saw Shendel smile in relief when their gaze caught each other before leaving the room. Elodie smiled herself, just happy to see her sister again. She failed to realize another figure approach the counter, sitting himself across the two.

"I thought I was gone for only a year." The waiter said with an annoyed look on his face as he scratched his head. "When did Shendel have a sister?" he asked to the room.

"Don't feel too bad, Magina. We all knew just a few months ago." Mortred replied.

"Still, though. It's like a whole new world over here." He complained. "And it all started when we had a new _part-timer_."

"Oh, stop with your weird conspiracy, Magina." The part-timer said as she joined the rest of them. "This isn't some _black magic_ that I've been practicing." Both Lanaya and Mortred laughed at Magina's expense, who was mumbling to himself.

"Stop yer yammerin', all o' ya." All heads turned to the custodian who was keeping quietly to himself, now already packed up and ready to leave. "It's late, we dun' need y'all to make a racket." Both women giggled as Sylla shook his head, with Magina simply backing away from the custodian. Elodie just watched the scene in silence. "Who's got the key?" he asked.

"_Moi_." Mortred took a key out of her pocket, showing it to the custodian before putting it back. "Take care, Sylla!"

"Aye." He replied, leaving the building to the younger generation.

Seeing the old man leave, Elodie took the opportunity to ask the people around her a question. "How was Shendel, when she arrived?"

All three heads turned to her, their once jolly mood turning to a darker tone. They glanced at each other briefly before looking in separate directions in thought.

"She…. was quiet." Lanaya started. "Kind of closed off, it was hard to approach her."

"Very somber." Magina added. "She'd hardly react to anything."

"She reacts to things," Mortred countered. "Just not as much as we'd like." she sighed, thinking of less colorful words to express her friend. "She's different. That's all I can say."

"Just say it, Mortred." The baker flinched when Shendel approached the counter, joining the rest of the group.

Mortred shook her head in response. "I don't want to."

A tired chuckle escaped Shendel's lips, as she gauged the looks everyone was giving her. Looking back, she truly was changing, and for the better too. Although she had managed to calm herself down, she still held the anger for years, evident from her outburst at a certain medical student. Pushing those thoughts behind, she turned to her youngest sister with a smile on her face.

"What made you come here?" she asked.

Elodie shifted her gaze to the counter, not meeting Shendel's. "I didn't want to stay there." She said, her expression turning sour. "Zanria kept on 'thanking me' for what I did. She also said she'd like to thanks you." She sighed, turning to face her sister. "Mum and Dad aren't even doing anything about it, too. It's like they don't care anymore."

"I didn't want to stay there. Never felt like home anymore, once I woke up. Dragonus was actually the one who told me where to go." Elodie smiled at her sister when the thought of Dragonus came to her. "I'm glad you two are still together, you know. After all these years."

Shendel scoffed at the thought. "We're not together, Elodie."

"What? Why?" came Elodie's surprised response.

"I'll tell you when we get back to my apartment." Shendel said, bring both herself and her sister up.

"Do you two need a ride?" Magina offered, with Mortred nodding behind him.

"But neither of you have a car." Lanaya said, earning a giggle from Elodie.

"It is the thought that counts, Lanaya." Magina reasoned.

Lanaya shook her head at the waiter, before giving one last look of relief to Shendel and her sister, who responded in kind.

"Have fun bonding you two!" Mortred said as she pushed the two sisters out of the coffee shop, and then proceeding to kick Magina out as well as she locked the Dark Moon for the night.

She saw their retreating forms going farther and farther, giving one more silent prayer before parting ways with Magina, running to catch up with the college student for the last bus of the night.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

here's a short, fluffy chapter, to accompany last one's.

thanks for reading!


	43. Deal with Death

**Deal with Death**

The cold was starting to invade the city of Elze as winter slowly enveloped their side of the continent, the darkened grey skies doing nothing to lift the mood, dampening the day despite it not reaching midday yet. The change in the weather came abrupt, as not even the local news networks could relay it to the people.

Outside a nondescript grey warehouse at the edge of town, three figures stood there, waiting for another person to join them in their private meeting. One of the women stood dignified, dressed only in her usual blue jacket and taking the change in weather in casual stride as she leaned on her bike. The only man wore a thick purple jacket, covering his shaved head with a yellow beanie. His entire ensemble made him look even burlier than he already is. The last woman wore a red jacket with grey ear muffs on her head, constantly breathing into her hands that were protected by grey mittens. She is by no means small, but her stature pales in comparison to her burly partner and the other woman's intimidating figure, but she was no pushover.

She had her partner's respect after years of hard work in climbing the ranks to be the Guard Captain, and the former _Scourge_ would never raise a hand that helped her. But now, the Guard Captain was at the blue-clad woman's mercy, as they still stood where they were, still waiting for the barista's former acquaintanence.

"Luna," she called out, her breath visible thanks to the cold. "is this person actually coming?" she asked. "This _is_ a real person, right? You're not lying to us?"

"Yes, Slithice." Luna replied while looking annoyed herself for having to wait. "She came by the coffee shop around three months ago."

"Oh, so it's a 'her'?" both women turned to Slardar as he voiced himself, Slithice smirking at her partner.

"What do you think, Slardar? You think I had any male peers around me back then?" the barista responded with a little venom.

The Guard Lieutenant shrugged, grinning back at Luna. "I don't know, Luna. You were more like an enemy of the state, but I didn't think you were a _man-hater_."

The barista rolled her eyes and turned back to the road, the two Guards copying her motion as they waited in front of the empty road, the norm for the area they were in. They waited for a few more minutes till a black sedan appeared at the end of the road, heading their way. As it got closer, the two City Guards noticed a flag on the car, with the royal family's crest on it. Their curiosity was further peaked when the car stopped on the other side of the road, a sharp dressed man exiting from the driver's side and opening the door behind him. Slithice gasped and Slardar's eyes widened at the sight of the Queen appearing from the vehicle, the both of them able to hear the faint conversation exchanged between her and her bodyguard.

"Are you sure you don't need me to accompany you, my Queen?" he asked with genuine concern.

The Queen waved her bodyguard off with a smile. "Don't worry. I'm in safe hands, just trust me." Seeing his unconvinced expression, she patted her bodyguard's shoulder with a smirk. "Look, don't think about me for the next couple of hours. Just take Nikka around the city, okay?"

Hesitantly, the bodyguard nodded, moving back inside the car. The Queen ducked under view, perhaps talking to whoever was inside the car at the moment, before the car slowly left the premises as she waved them off with a heartfelt smile on her face. Her face straightened as she was left on her own, slowly turning to face the three of them, the smile returning to her face. Both City Guards got a good view at the Queen's attire, Slithice in particular cringing at the midriff that was bared despite the cold. Even Slardar furrowed, seeing that she only wore a red tanktop underneath her jacket.

But their thoughts of her were put to halt when the Queen had crossed the road to their side, arms spread apart as she approached the unamused barista before bringing her into a tight embrace. They were both perplexed at the mere implication that a **monarch** was involved with whatever Luna was doing years before.

"Luna, happy you called." The Queen said as she let the taller woman go, her smile contrasting with Luna's mini-frown. "Although I'm a bit surprised when you wanted to meet up _here_, of all places."

"I'm helping the City Guard with a little something, and we're meeting with Razor's boss here." Luna replied. Akasha's brow rose in confusion, wondering where this partnership came from. "Don't think about it, it's not important." The barista said, as if reading her thoughts.

"Okay, although I expected something _else_ for a proper reunion." The Queen said, before turning to face the two City Guards. "Well? What is needed of me?"

Slithice shook her head out of her stupor, facing the Queen with a straight face. "We need some insight regarding a series of murders that's been occurring in the past two years."

"And you don't mind me joining in on your little charade here?"

Slithice shook her head. "Not at all, your Majesty. Especially if Luna believes that you can help us in our meeting here."

Slithice felt relief when the Queen nodded with a smile. "Very well then, let's proceed."

As if on cue, the entrance of the warehouse opened to them, held by two small, flimsy looking workers. What their genders were was hard to make out, as their faces were covered with black gargoyle masks. Unsurprising to them, the Executioner appeared right behind the workers, his arms open to greet them.

"Welcome, to the _Narrow Maze_." he opened before bowing to them. As he got back up, his gaze fell on the Queen, her steely façade doing a good job in hiding how uncomfortable she was at his presence. "And it _seems_, that we have a _special guest_ within our halls."

"Razor." Akasha responded flatly. "Why am I not surprised to see you here?"

"Oh, this is a _wonderful_ reunion." He said, clasping his hands. "If only _Tresdin_ was, here to enjoy it _with_ us. But, I'm _sure_ she wouldn't enjoy it, with that stick up her derriere."

"Don't speak of her like that, Razor. I will not allow it." Came the Queen's slightly angered response.

The room became quiet as the rest were waiting for the Executioner's response, the mask that covered his face made it hard to discern what he was thinking. Both he and the Queen stared at each other, with Luna standing by Akasha for support.

A dark chuckle filled the air as he spun on his heel. "The _manipulative **bitch**_ sure has changed." He said, moving ahead of everyone. "Come along, now. We shan't keep her waiting."

They soon followed him as they made their way inside the maze of a warehouse that served as the center of their "establishment". Both Luna and Slardar were right at Razor's heel, with Slithice right behind them, but she slowed down to the Queen's pace, intent on asking the monarch a few questions.

The Queen caught the Guard Captain glancing at her before she could ask them. "You have something on your mind?"

Slithice decided on jumping in head on. "How did you come into contact with Luna, your Majesty?"

The Queen's face went blank at the question, with Slithice fearing that she had offended the monarch, but a smirk and a giggle calmed her down. "I think it's pretty obvious _how_, Guard Captain. And yes, Commander Tresdin was a part of our little, _group_. But she left long before Luna became as feared as she was."

"So the two of you are friends, now?"

The Guard Captain felt guilty when she saw Akasha's face fell, but the monarch quickly recovered, albeit with a sad smile. "We'll see, Guard Captain." Was all she said, before moving ahead of Slithice.

They soon stopped in front of a closed door with another gargoyle-masked man. He was shorter than most of them but he had a bulkier build than the other workers. The way he held his head high with dignity signified his seniority. The appearance of these two people, and the familiars that worked around the warehouse, made the City Guards wonder if masks were a necessity if one were to work in such an environment.

"This will be plain and short, Razor." The man said, his voice filtered to sound more deeply ethereal. "Necro'lic does not like having guests."

"_Please_, Visage. You, of all people, don't need to tell me." Razor responded sarcastically, although it was hard to tell since the tone was no different than his "normal" voice.

The man called Visage glanced at the rest of the party, scanning each and every one of them thoroughly before nodding to himself, opening the door to their entrance. Razor glanced back and nodded to the others as he led them inside.

Inside waiting for them was the person in charge, sitting on her chair with her arms folded on the table. She too wore a grey gargoyle mask, but hers was more slender than the other's. Her whole attire was an office blouse and pantsuit in a dull grey color. She motioned to everyone that entered her office to the chairs that were provided.

They all followed the silent command, each taking the empty seat. Razor and Visage each took the woman's sides. The City Guards sat next to one another, taking Razor's side while Luna and Akasha took Visage's. With everyone seated, the woman glanced at Visage, who nodded and coughed, drawing everyone's attention.

"Guard Captain," he called out. "You needed Necro'lic's input regarding something that shall not reach your superior's ears?"

"Yes." She nodded back, taking out the files she had with her and putting them on the table. "We needed some 'insiders' input regarding certain murders that have occurred for the past two years."

"Most of our suspects are the ones on the table." Slardar added. "And we ruled out the Artist."

"Have you not asked the detective agency for help, Guard Captain?" Akasha asked, but both Slithice and Slardar shook their heads.

"Although we can trust Banehallow and his partner, we know that agency is tapped." Slithice explained. "We couldn't risk it."

"These deaths looked like they were caused by some sort of poison." Visage said as he examined one of the pictures. "Have you looked into that?"

"We have, but our closest liaison when it comes to poisons said that, although the resemble, these deaths are **not** cause by poisons." Slardar explained, palming his face.

"You know, Captain, you're so focused on looking for the perpetrator, but what if it's someone else holding the reins?" Akasha added her theory, with Luna nodding beside her.

"Wasn't there someone out there, known for manipulating different people and factions to further his own needs?" Luna asked her former partner.

"You mean the Oracle?" the monarch asked, but both of them saw the Guard Captain shake her head.

"It's not the Oracle, because he's in custody. For the past few years, actually." Slardar scoffed after her, forcing Slithice to explain more on the subject. "There are those among the Guard that believe that the Oracle is in custody because he wanted to."

"And what, if I may ask, do _you_ think, Guard Captain?" the Executioner prodded, joining the conversation.

"I'd rather not think on it." She answered simply. "The case is closed, and I left it at that."

"But there is a huge possibility that all these deaths are orchestrated by a puppet master." Visage said, adding more to the monarch's theory."

"That idea has crossed our minds, yes," Slardar affirmed. "but we focused on trying to find the killer first."

"You know, you've all been speaking as if the killer was even a real person." Luna voiced, drawing concern from the City Guards. "What if these deaths were caused by something supernatural, like Atropos?"

A nervous laugh escaped both the Captain and the Lieutenant. "Luna, please. Atropos isn't _real_." Slithice said.

"Oh, but he is, Guard Captain." Slithice looked at Razor with a worried expression. "Oh, how horrible, it must be, if the killer turned out to be, something that you can never, even _hope_ to apprehend."

"While that creature is real," Visage cut in. "these don't look like people who died in their sleep. We have seen the deaths Atropos has caused, and these are **not** what they look like."

A sigh of relief escaped the City Guards, but a grunt halted the meeting. All heads turned to face the woman who had been quietly listening to the conversation. She brought Visage closer to her and whispered something inaudible to his ear. With a nod, Visage turned back to the rest.

"Necro'lic said that this might be something the _Demon of Kivuli_ would plan out." He said, relaying the silent woman's input.

Luna furrowed in confusion. "Who?" she asked.

"This unknown manipulator." Akasha explained. "He has caused quiet an uproar before we hit the streets, Luna. It's why the Artist and Lucy would sometimes work together."

"It goes deeper than that." Slithice started. "We have some sources to have claimed that the Artist and this _Demon_ might have worked together before."

A dark chuckle escaped Razor's covered lips as Slithice explained the situation. "Oh, it wasn't something as _harmonious_ as that." He said. "It was a lose-lose, agreement that had the Artist defy, the _Demon of Kivuli's_ wishes."

"Our records have listed him as 'deceased', that means either someone tampered with our workings, or the _Demon of Kivuli_ is more than he seems." Visage said, earning a nod from Razor.

A thud disrupted the meeting, as all heads turned to Slardar who had just slammed the table. "If this is true, then that means we still have to go to Angelo."

"That's not true, Slardar." The barista said. "You don't need to go to him. But, as much as I _deplore_ the man, it couldn't hurt having him help finding a mutual enemy."

"Okay, we have a possible lead on _who_ might be the mastermind behind all of this." Slithice said, trying to bring the meeting back on track. "But that still doesn't help us in finding the person who's been doing the deeds itself."

"Oh." All eyes turned to the monarch as she voiced her surprise while she examined the pictures one by one. "I _think_, this is the Marauder."

A grunt came from the silent Necro'lic, as if agreeing with the Queen's suspicions. The rest of them, however, were just as confused.

"Who's that?" Luna asked.

"I've read of him when we first grouped up, Luna. **Long** ago, before we got our hands dirty." Akasha explained. "I was just preparing ourselves just in case things got rough." She then turned to the City Guards before continuing. "He used two knives when he cut his victims, and they'd end up looking as dried as these people." She motioned to the autopsy photos. "But I heard he was locked up, though. In another country."

The silent woman grunted once more, Visage drawing near to listen to the whisper. He then relayed the message to the others. "Necro'lic confirms that this Marauder has escaped Foulfell years ago, but has not caused an uproar since. These methods, however, fit him the most."

"**_Foulfell_**?!" Slardar exclaimed, not liking what he heard. "That's way down south! What is this man doing here?!"

"Maybe the _Demon of Kivuli_ made him an offer he couldn't refuse." Luna said with a chuckle.

The room turned quite right after, with the City Guards gathering everything they had gotten. Visage, with Necro'lic's permission, had excused himself to look over the Narrow Maze's own documents, intending on finding out what has been tampered, if there was. Both Luna and Akasha only sat where they were, staring at the Executioner as he silently chuckled, the former with a deep frown. But just as Razor was about to _lighten_ the mood, the Guard Captain stood up.

She turned to Razor's silent boss, and bowed. "Thank you for your time, Necro'lic." She said with genuine gratitude, although the tiredness of her voice could be heard. "We shan't take your time any longer."

With Necro'lic nodding a reply, Slithice motioned the others barring Razor to follow her out of the warehouse. Luna and Akasha could see the stress building up inside the Guard Captain, and Slardar looked no better with his shoulders slumped. Akasha pulled Luna back as they distanced themselves from the City Guards, the barista in question looking annoyed at being stopped.

"You sure made some odd friends." Akasha noted with a smile.

Luna didn't respond immediately, but with a smirk she rolled her eyes at her former companion's statement. "I sure did."

"Is there room, just yet?" Akasha asked with hopeful eyes.

This time Luna didn't respond, instead opting to roll her eyes as she dragged the monarch along, intent on catching up with the City Guards.

Both City Guards were already waiting outside their car, with Slardar packing something into the trunk. Slithice, seeing both women just exit the warehouse, approached them.

"Your Majesty, if I may, I'd like to know the specifics of your situation." She asked as ambiguously as possible.

"You can just ask Ostarion, Captain." Akasha answered bluntly. "I'm sure he'd _love_ to tell the story for the millionth time."

"But I don't think i-"

"I'll set it up, don't worry." The Queen said with a kind smile.

Although slightly perplexed, Slithice soon returned the smile with one of her own. "You're nothing like what the rumors say."

"As long as I'm around people I consider my friends, I won't be." Akasha said, not denying the rumors.

"Thanks for your input, your Majesty. And you too Luna!" Slithice said as she turned to the barista. "Don't worry, hopefully you won't have to deal with this shit again."

"I doubt it, if Gondar's still around." Both Luna and Slithice shared a laugh, before the Guard Captain joined her Lieutenant in the car. The waved each other off, leaving the barista and the Queen in front of the warehouse alone.

The Queen then turned to see the barista already on her motorcycle, the blue helmet still in her hands.

"Do you have anything planned?" she asked, earning a shrug from the barista. "Then can we go somewhere, and eat lunch?" she asked, once again hoping for a chance to reacquaint herself with someone she'd like to consider a friend.

Luna did not respond with words, instead lobbing the helmet at the Queen, who managed to catch it. She started her bike and waited for Akasha to get on. The Queen, with the widest smile she's ever had, put on the blue helmet joined Luna.

"I know a great place." She said, directing her former partner to their next destination.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

phew. that ended up longer than i expected. also, a little note, since there's gonna be the coming holidays and the fact that i don't celebrate Christmas, hopefully i'd get back to my old schedule.

and for the curious, Kivuli is Swahili for something. _nudge nudge wink wink_

** He23t**

of course. i could'nt have it any other way for someone of that aspiration.

** Ballernar**

Luna won't have a love interest, such things don't really interest her. plus, i've got too many in my hands right now, when it comes to love interests.


	44. An Answer for a Mystery that Puzzled Her

**An Answer for a Mystery that Puzzled Her**

Her head was pounding uncontrollably, her mind feeling like it was shattering with each movement she took. Her bleary eyes made it impossible for her to even see anything in front of her. The ringing in her ears blocked out any sound from passing by. She couldn't even talk with how sore her throat was. And worst of all, Lanaya didn't know why this was happening to her.

She didn't do anything out of the ordinary, and she prepared for the coming winter better than most. She never deviated too much from her usual routine, and yet here she was, inside Mirana's car being sick as all hell. She couldn't remember much of what happened, but she knew she passed out while she was waiting tables. She guessed that the others must've taken her somewhere, but that's it. She just tried to make herself comfortable.

She felt a couple of thuds on her body, and at first she was confused about this unknown symptom. But the door opening, allowing her to feel the cool air, proved otherwise, as she felt arms carry her out of the car. She tried to move as little as possible, clinging on to share the heat as the flash of the cold was too much for her ill body.

The change in temperature told her that they had entered a building, seeing that she could feel the heat from the rooms. She cuddled into the warm bosom of whoever was carrying her, and it was at this point she realized that whoever carried her was a woman (she guessed Luna, based on the fact that the older woman is without a doubt very strong, and has the biggest bust sized compared to everyone else in the coffee shop.)

The warmer air had somewhat cleared her vision and her hearing, as she could now see the blue shirt that she clung to, the buzzing of her dorm mates now tickling her ear drums. The bright atmosphere soon dimmed as they entered a smaller room, which turned out to be her own room, as Luna carefully settled her on her bed. As Luna's blue form retreated, she saw a white and lighter blue figure around the barista, who she assumed to be Mirana and Rylai, who had now crouched beside the bed, tending to her sick friend.

She could hear the manager speak, with Luna nodding beside her, but she still couldn't make out the blurred out words, opting to just nod along. Seeing Mirana smile ever so slightly convinced Lanaya that she gave the response that Mirana wanted. She saw both older women have a brief conversation with Rylai before bidding their farewell, leaving Lanaya under the care of her blonde roommate.

With only the two of them, she felt the bed shift as Rylai sat at the edge, carefully undressing her sweaty clothes and mask. Lanaya was left bare under her own blanket, the cool warmth of the fabric sending pleasurable shivers down her spine, and the placebo effect had already started making her feel better as her hearing became clearer.

Lanaya looked at Rylai's concerned face as she talked, slowly the words becoming less of a blur to her. "…aya, ca….u hear me?" She finally heard, nodding to Rylai's question. The blonde smiled tenderly. "Good. I'll go make some warm soup, okay? I'll be back with it and some medicine."

With a nod, she sent Rylai out so the blonde could do what she did best: take care of others. Now Lanaya was alone in her dimly closed room, clutching onto the blanket that shielded her naked body from the cold air. She was just about to drift off to sleep when she heard a knock on the door, but before she could answer, the door had opened.

In came a person she wasn't expecting in all her lifetime. A man dressed in a dark purple trench coat, his face concealed by a scarf and fedora with the same colour as the trench coat. Only his bright pink eyes were visible, glaring at her sickly, crumpled form. She wanted to yell out the man's intrusion, but her voice was still too sore to utter a single word. She was helpless to stop the man as he approached her, holding the sides of her head with his hands. Then she felt a pulse, and all of a sudden her pain has been partially lifted.

She managed to shake her head to try and clear it more, but all it did was nauseate her. She did, however, see the man had gone and grabbed a medicinal balm from her table.

"What… the hell, are you doing here?" she questioned the man through coughs and a course voice.

The trench coated man ignored her, simply moving to her bedside with the balm in his hand. She was too weak to protest what he was doing, as he lowered the blanket off of her. She couldn't even cover herself, but despite how sick she was, she glared back at the man showing him that she will not back down. But the man ignored her glares, instead setting his mind to rub the balm on her sickly body. Lanaya couldn't deny that the balm eased her even more so.

She tried to speak again as the balm was spread around her neck. "Why are you here?" she asked again.

"I have no need of a reason." A deep, enigmatic voice flatly replied. The man's voice always unnerved her, despite having met him only a number of times.

"Are you, here to torment me again?" she asked, this time a bit fearful.

The man stopped rubbing the balm, his hands rested on Lanaya's shoulders. "I have never tormented you before."

She shook her head, trying to prove him wrong. "No, you… You made me estranged, from my family."

The room was silent, and Lanaya thought she managed it, but he chuckled back at her. "You were the one that wanted to know the truth." He said to her, as he held her up so he could spread the balm on her back. "_You_ were the one that wanted to know the secrets."

"No, no…" she coughed as the effects of the balm were taking effect on her. "I just, wanted to know, what happed…"

"At the Violet Archives, yes." He affirmed, gently laying her down again. "You came to me, seeking answers that you were not ready for. That is not my fault, but your own."

"You… could've at least…" she coughed again, seeing the man move to her abdomen. "warned me."

"I did." He stated. "But you were too young to think of the consequences, your childish naivety paving the path for the strong curiosity you always bared."

"But… but why?" she asked, pleading for a reason. "Why didn't you stop me?"

This time the man stopped, standing up from the bed while leaving Lanaya to cover herself with the blanket. "Stop you from knowing the truth, like you wanted?" He hovered over her, the sick college student now cling onto the blanket, the sheer force of his presence shaking her even more so than the pounding her head was subjected to.

"Your curiosity set you on the path that leads to your own downfall, simply because you did not expect how close you were in proximity to such an event." His deep voice was now shaking her core, Lanaya checking herself to make sure she wasn't breathing erratically.

"The Violet Archives' destruction was caused internally, trough sabotage by an external group who had been at odds with the research and experiments that were conducted from within. You were horrified when you found out that your own parents were part of the destruction."

She shook her head vehemently, not liking the direction the man was going, but a hand on her upper chest and forehead stopped her. She was forced to look directly at the man's bright pink eyes as he continued.

"This revelation caused you to confront them, and after months of them trying to deny it, they finally admitted to the deeds they have done. And through this acceptance, your very life was disrupted, as the family you thought you knew turned out to be complete strangers to your own eyes."

"Please, stop." Lanaya pleaded, but the man wasn't relenting.

"This rift was further spread apart when you announced that you will recreate and restart the experiments that were once conducted. A clash between you and your own parents lead to you being kicked out, but your young mind wouldn't have it any other way, happy to be on your own."

"But how wrong you were, the world proved too much for a sheltered teenager such as yourself. You were, however, still adamant that you would survive on your own, not wanting to come back to the people that kicked you out. Your persistence bore fruit, as soon you were on your way to this university with a full scholarship. You couldn't have been more proud of yourself."

Lanaya steeled herself, knowing the worst of her thoughts were about to come.

"But just as you were at your highest, your world came crashing down when news of this very same group coming out of hiding once more. At first, you didn't believe it, thinking that in no way that they, your parents, would resurface to cause chaos onto these institutions. And you managed to convince yourself too for a brief time, but your reality was shattered by the hard truth."

"You blocked out any news involving that group ever since, since somewhere deep down your soul, you feel responsible for that. Responsible for the rift, that pushed them away. Nudging them back to whatever conspiracy they were a part of. You've been torn ever since, yet here you are, still not fully grasping the delicate strings that secrets keep."

And with that, the man retreated from the bed, allowing Lanaya to "rest" after what he had just put her through. This time she propped herself up, her back exposed with the seat that accumulated amplifying the cold air she felt. But she welcomed it. With steady breath, she looked back at him, the man's intimidating figure still and unmoving.

"Did you… know that this was the path that I would take?" she asked him, hoping for some sort of assurance.

"No." he stated. "Remember, girl. You came to me thanks to some mindless rumors that were spread about, thinking that a being such as myself would unravel the world for you. I am nothing like that." He approached her again, but Lanaya's resolve was strengthened, not backing up from the trench coated figure. "Like my brothers and sister, we can grasp reality more than the likes of you. I merely touched onto a forgotten past so you could have an answer you _thought_ you wanted."

They stared at each other's eyes, a curious youth and an ageless wisdom. "Why don't your words ever make sense?"

"They make as much sense as you can grasp. It is not my fault if you cannot comprehend it."

"Can I ask you another question? One that can hopefully be answered?" the man nodded for her. "What are you?"

"That answer is simple." He said, as he backed away from her and approached her door. "You've met my brother, he and I are the same."

She looked at him with confusion. "I… have?"

"Yes. The blackest knight to tread your work environment."

"….Oh…. but, that doesn't answer my question."

"Oh, it didn't? How unfortunate." A screech interrupted their conversation, as they turned to see Rylai standing at the doorway with a bowl in her hands.

"Who are you!? Guys! We have a trespasser!" she called out, but a hand covering her face shut her.

"Stay. Put." He said, and all of a sudden Rylai felt the weight of the world on her shoulders; literally, as she was now on the ground on her knees. As she looked back up, the man was gone.

Her eyes went to Lanaya, and in an instant Rylai was on the sick girl's bedside, her hands going everywhere making sure Lanaya was safe. "Lanaya, what happened? Did he do anything? Are you hurt?"

She shook her head, calming her friend down. "No, he didn't. We just… had a little 'conversation'."

Rylai was still hesitant, but she went with Lanaya's words, picking up the bowl of soup she had prepared. She carefully blew at the spoon as she proceeded to feed her friend. "Who was he, do you know him?"

Swallowing the soup, Lanaya picked her words carefully before answering her shocked friend. "I don't know, actually." She said. "He's, an enigma, of sorts."

With concern, Rylai comforted her friend. "Well, whoever he was, we'll make sure he won't break in again."

Lanaya nodded, happy to be fed the soup Rylai made. The fresh memories were still a little too real for her, and she'd rather not deal with it right now.

Especially when she has a good life of her own.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

man, that was weird to write.

hope you guys enjoyed it!


	45. The Fidgety Doctor

**The Fidgety Doctor**

"Is something wrong, Mirana?"

Mirana blinked her eyes rapidly upon hearing her name called out, looking up to see the concerned gaze her boss was giving her. She looked around her to see that she was leaning on the cash register, a few number of the patrons quickly looking away as they were caught staring at the manager. Her face flushed as the predicament finally weighed on her, shaking her head to ready herself as she quickly addressed the owner of the coffee shop.

"Nothing, Selemene. Just dozed out, I guess." She answered, covering her mouth as she yawned. She saw Selemene's disbelieving look that she gave her.

"Have you been sleeping okay?" Selemene asked, leaning herself closer onto the counter. Mirana's half-nods did little to convince her. "Is it Atropos? Have you been dreaming of him again?"

Mirana could feel a shiver go down her spine, and she was sure that Selemene saw it too. She was hesitant to admit it, but she relented in the end, slowly nodding. "He never left, Selemene. I just never remembered the dreams. He's always been in them."

"Do you want to go to a doctor?" Selemene asked, but the question was met with a violent response as Mirana shook her head violently.

"No, it's pointless!" Mirana's eyes widened, surprised at her own response as she realized she made a scene. "There are no doctors that believe in Atropos."

A caring smile spread on Selemene's face as she cupped Mirana's head with her hands. "You know? I have a friend, whose kid is very perceptive when it comes to dreams. How about I give her a call?"

Mirana's gaze faltered from Selemene's, looking out to the side. "I don't know, 'Mene. It feels odd…"

"Trust me, alright?" Selemene assured her. "She's a little darling, and she'll be happy to help. I'll go call them right away."

Mirana didn't have a chance to talk her boss down before Selemene left the manager to her own devices. She sighed as she was once again spoon-fed by her boss, not liking being treated like a weak child although she couldn't deny that she might have acted like so. She decided on leaving her station to join the barista's as she silently read the newspaper. Mirana treaded lightly, not wanting to disturb Luna when she sat herself on one of the stools. Mirana coughed so she could catch the barista's attention.

Luna looked up from the newspaper to face Mirana with a raised eyebrow. "What, princess?" the older woman asked.

Mirana hesitated at first but went with her gut anyway. "Can I have a drink?"

Both women stared at each other, with Luna finally conceding a sigh as she stood up and proceeded to make the manager her drink. Mirana turned her attention to the room as she contently waited for the drink, seeing the others waiting on the tables. But her gaze stopped when she caught Lanaya having a conversation with the balaclava-wearing, fidgety doctor.

She noticed that Lanaya was being more lively than usual, all her energy on the man sitting in front of her as he listened to the college student. Then they switched as the doctor went on a hilarious rant about one of his colleagues while Lanaya leaned her head on her arms. Both people oblivious to the other's and their own behavior and mannerisms around each other.

"Here you go princess." Luna said as she handed the drink to the manager, startling her.

Luna sat back at her own stool and went back to the newspaper as Mirana carefully cupped the mug that was given to her, blowing on it to ease the heat. She smiled inwardly after she took a sip, and glance to the older woman next to her with a question in mind.

"How long were they talking to each other?" she asked.

Luna sighed in mild annoyance as she looked up from her newspaper again to set her gaze on the scene Mirana pointed out, and she displayed a soft smile herself at it. Both of them shared a laugh at Lanaya's behavior (though it was more of a giggle from Mirana's end). Luna even stopped reading her newspaper as they observed it for their own enjoyment.

"I don't know." Luna said as she finally answered the question. "He's been here longer than how long you've zone out though."

"Very funny." She responded as Luna chuckled. She moved the conversation back to their subjects of interest. "Do you think she's serious about something happening with her and that doctor?"

"You're asking the **wrong** person here, princess. I don't know **squat** about any of this." The barista replied, earning a sad gaze from the younger manager. "Don't look at me like that. I don't need pointless relationships."

"Oh come now, Luna. I'm sure everyone would like to wake up with a person they care about in their arms." Mirana reasoned, teasing the barista.

"Not me. I already have Selemene, and you girls." Mirana had a bright smile when she heard those words, earning a groan from Luna. "No please, that look's worse."

Mirana giggled on when she saw a blush creep on Luna's pale skin, but gave the barista what she needed by turning away, focusing once more on their biggest interest. The roles were once again reversed as the doctor was now fidgety nodding along to whatever their part-timer was saying. It was hard to tell what the doctor's expression was, as he not once took off the balaclava he was wearing.

"Do you think people will look at them weirdly?" Mirana asked, although rhetorically as she half-expected Luna to not answer her this time.

Her expectations were proven wrong not a second later. "Maybe. That man's older than me, and maybe society might look down on them." Mirana frowned at the thought, but Luna continued her point. "Then again, our _magnificent **Queen**_ is thirty years younger than the King, so there's that."

They both then shared a laugh, a bellow contrasting with a giggle that almost drew in the gazes of the patrons. They spent the rest of their day just silently observing Lanaya and the doctor, the only thing different was Luna making the orders here and there. Near the end of the day they were joined by the blonde and redheaded sisters as they waited for their friend.

"Is she still in denial?" Mirana asked them.

Both sisters laughed at the question. "Always." Rylai answered.

"She's been finding excuses to take Rylai's job of taking me to my checkups now." Lina added.

Just as Mirana was about to respond, Lanaya's form appeared near them, joining them on whatever conversation they had with the most blissful look she's ever had. She noticed this too upon seeing the knowing grins they all showed her, immediately replacing it with a frown despite it being covered by her mask.

"Shut up. I don't want to hear anything from any of you." She said, earning a snicker from her blonde friend and her sister.

"Come now, Lanaya. We won't tease." Mirana reasoned with a half-smirk that betrayed her sincerity.

"Are you going to convince Rylai that you'd take me to the hospital again?" Lina asked as she tried her hardest to hold back the inevitable giggling spree that.

"No." Lanaya answered, looking away with a blush creeping forward, mumbling something that was inaudible to the rest.

"What did you say?" Rylai prodded with a wide grin.

"He said he wasn't going to be in that day." Lanaya braced herself as a collection of 'awes' and laughter followed suit, but she was glad that Luna kept quiet through all the commotion.

"How did your date go?" Luna asked with a smirk, shattering Lanaya's perception and expectation of her.

"It's **not** a date." She answered, the blush intensifying as she looked at anywhere but their eyes. "And it was great."

The rest of their day was soon filled with laughter and joy as they teased and encouraged their shy friend, their jolly moods going hand in hand with the upcoming Frostivus season as the snow finally fell on their city.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

another short fluffy chapter, mostly a gateway to the next arc i'm moving onto.

thank you for reading!


	46. Black and Blue, with a little bit of Red

**Black and Blue, with a little bit of Red**

The Frostivus spirit covered Elze like a warm blanket, the white coat turning the city into a winter wonderland as the buildings and the streets were adorned with the festive lights and decoration for one of the anticipated days of the year.

Having been homeschooled, Elodie still found the minor things of the city life to be eye opening, as she looked around with childlike innocence, completely oblivious to what her sister was saying as they walked down the street towards Dark Moon. If Shendel herself actually had her eye on her sister, her words wouldn't have fallen on deaf ears.

"...so do you want anything for Frostivus? Since this is our first time together in years." Shendel eventually asked. "Elodie? Are you listening?" Shendel turned her head around to see that Elodie's attention was everywhere _but_ her. She grimaced, stopping where she was in front of Elodie and braced herself as her sister crashed into her.

Elodie was confused and embarrassed when, thinking that she had crashed into a random stranger, but sighed in relief when she saw that it was Shendel. That was quickly replaced with worry upon seeing Shendel's none too pleased expression, a single sweat trickling down as she tried to gather herself.

"…uh, what was that again, Shen?" she said, trying to get back to whatever Shendel was talking about.

She laughed nervously when Shendel shook her head and sighed, palming her face all the while. "I said, 'would you like anything for Frostivus?'"

"Oh…" Elodie fidgeted uncomfortably as Shendel waited for an answer. "I don't need anything, Shen."

"Oh, come now, Elodie." She held her sister by her shoulders, bringing their gazes onto one another. "We haven't celebrated Frostivus in years together. I know being a waitress doesn't net me much, but I'll still get you _anything_ you want."

"I just want to be with you this Frostivus, Shen…" the younger sister said, shifting her gaze from her older sister whose eyes widened, smiling to her sister and bringing her into a hug.

"Don't worry, Elodie. We have this Frostivus all to our self." Shendel let her sister go from the hug, but they still were in close proximity of each other. "Now we better get going, I'm already late for work."

The both of them laughed as Shendel dragged Elodie by her hand, making their way past the people on the sidewalk, making their way through the few blocks before reaching the coffee shop. It wasn't long till they finally arrived, and luckily for Shendel, the cold whether and how close they were to the holiday, not that many patrons were inside. Shendel lead Elodie to Luna's station, but they were both surprised to see that the barista was nowhere in sight.

"You can wait here, okay?" With a nod from Elodie, Shendel left her sister at where she was, moving to the break room.

Elodie waited alone, her mind already wondering about to anything she could think of: her sister; her coworkers; their workplace; the city. All these thoughts, and more, kept her occupied as she was once again oblivious to her surroundings. Especially the black-clad teenager that slowly approached her from behind.

The black-clad teenager tip-toed to Elodie, and slowly brought her hands to the oblivious girls eyes, covering them and startling Elodie. "Guess who?" she asked.

Elodie was confused at first, but upon remembering who the voice belonged to, she joyfully answered. "Noire?"

"Yes!" When her sight was restored, Elodie turned around to greet her only other friend in the city.

"I didn't know you'd be here, why didn't you tell me?" She asked as Noire took the other stool.

"I didn't even know I was going here. I just came along with my sister." Noire answered, putting her glasses into her shirt pocket.

"Oh? Why is your sister here?" Elodie asked, only for Noire to shrug.

"Just the usual, asking for donations." She answered, as her gaze shifted up in thought. "although she focused on the barista because she was someone that my mother ran into, back in the day." She shrugged again before stretching herself and leaned onto the counter. "I don't know who she was, maybe I was too young."

"Who is your mother, anyway?" Elodie asked out of curiosity.

"Well, we're not supposed to be telling random people, but I guess I can tell you. She's-"

"Oh Elodie, you're here!" Noire was cut off by the part-timer that approached them. "Do you want anything to drink?"

"Can you make anything?" Elodie asked incredulously. "I thought only Luna knew how to use the coffee machine."

"I don't know how to use that." Lanaya said, laughing at herself. "But I do know how to make some teas."

"Hm… how about some lemon tea?"

"Coming right up!" Lanaya turned her attention to Noire. "How about you?"

"I'll have the same thing."

"Great! Easier for me." She said, earning a laugh from the two teenagers.

"Now, where was I?" Noire said, trying to remember where she stopped.

"You were about to tell me something about your mother."

"Oh right!" Noire leaned onto her hands as she retold her story. "Remember when I asked you, if you knew anything about the Broodmother?" Elodie nodded, prompting Noire to continue. "Well my mother, Arachnia, was known as this 'Broodmother' because years ago, she was this dangerous woman who would take in orphans from the streets, me being one of them."

"People thought that she would raise these orphans to replace her, which is why they called her the 'Broodmother', but she ended up being something else entirely." Noire looked up in remembrance, her expression being one of joy. She didn't notice Lanaya handing her the tea that she made for them. "She might have supported us through unsavory ways, but at the end of the day, that's what she did: supported us."

"She sounds like a wonderful person." Elodie said, earning a laugh from the black-clad teenager.

"She's as dangerous as she is wonderful. Anybody that wanted to mess with us had to mess with her. Even now, at her old age."

"I think I know why your sister wanted to talk to our barista." Lanaya said offhandedly, getting the attention of the two younger girls, especially a raised eyebrow from Noire.

"And what would that be?" Noire asked.

Lanaya laughed smugly at the question, shaking her head as she replied. "Oh no, secrets are meant to be secrets. No to mention Luna would be _very_ angry if I told anyone about her. Well, have fun you two! I got to get back to work."

They both waited till Lanaya was no longer nearby before continuing their conversation. "So, where's **your** sister?" Noire asked.

"I'm right here." Shendel said, appearing behind the two teenagers, draping her arm around her sister. "Is this the friend you talked about?" Elodie nodded to her sister. "She seems like a nice person."

"Thank you!" Noire responded happily.

"Is Luna in the breakroom?" the younger sister asked.

"No. She's using Selemene's office. Well, I hope you two stay put." Shendel said, leaving the both of them as she joined Lanaya.

"So I take it things are going well with your sister?" Noire asked, tilting her head to the side.

"Oh, never better!" Elodie replied with enthusiasm. "I've never been this happy in years!"

"That's great to hear! I'm happy for you, Elodie. I was a bit worried, since I couldn't tell through our text-sessions."

"Yeah, I'm glad things turned out like this. We've been spending as much time together as possible. Hey, enough about my life with my sister; tell me about the sister that's with you right now."

"Oh, I don't need to." Noire said, with Elodie raising her brow in confusion. Noticing this, Noire motioned to something behind Elodie. "She's right over there."

Elodie turned on her seat to see the barista appearing from the corridor with a woman around her age, also wearing black, just like Noire. Although unlike Noire's "school uniform" ensemble, this older woman was wearing a skirt that went as far as her ankles, complimented with a lighter shaded blouse. Another resemblance between the "sisters" is that she also wore glasses.

"I'm glad I got to talk to you, Luna. Mum would be very happy to know." The woman said, her accent very distinctly different from Noire's.

"I'm sure she would," Luna said, bringing her hand to the woman's shoulder. "I remember when she tried to take me in. Of course, listening to some God-awful advice, we didn't go with her."

"Oh right! You were with your own group! What happened to them?" the woman asked.

"Well, one of them is one of the nation's commanders." The woman awed at the news. "And the other one is married to the king." At this, her jaw hit the floor. She scanned Luna's face, looking for any sort tell that the barista was lying, but Luna only shook her head in response, smirking at the woman's expression.

"How far we've come, huh?" she said offhandedly.

"You have my address, right? I'll give you girls the money you need for the foundation."

"Thank you again, Luna. It's really something, to see the-"

"Don't finish that sentence, Qara. Otherwise I'll get angry." Both women shared a soft laugh, before Qara brought Luna into a brief hug.

She turned to Noire after the hug, just as Luna made her way to her station. "Come, Noire. We have places to go to."

"Okay Qara!" as Noire stood up, she glanced at Elodie one more time to bid her farewell. "Looks like it's time for me to go. We'll talk later tonight, right Elodie?"

"Right, Noire. Goodbye!" Elodie waved at her friend as Noire joined her sister, leaving the Dark Moon to continue their plans for the day.

Elodie just sighed happily, knowing that she had a friend in the city. She didn't even realize that the barista was scruffing her hair in amusement. The sisters of the Broodmother Foundation had left their mark on the both of them.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

alright. phew.

sorry guys, for the **very late** chapter. i spent too much time on the first few paragraphs because i'm not really experienced with the whole Christmas spirit and the like. and then, just as i finished that part, i ended up getting sick.

i'm glad that i actually managed to finish the chapter, so there's that. hopefully you guys enjoyed reading it!

also, Qara is Azarbaijani for "black", to go with the same theme as Noire (and the rest of the sisters/daughters of Arachnia)

thanks again for reading!


	47. Selemene's Frostivus Gathering

**Selemene's Frostivus Gathering**

The Dark Moon coffee shop was bustling with activity on this Frostivus Eve from the small dinner party the renowned owner was hosting. A small group of close friends and her own employees were the ones invited, and she wouldn't have it any other way, walking around the room from group to group as she made sure each of them were having a ball of a time.

"Lanaya! Glad you could make it!" Selemene called out, approaching the part-timer as she entered the building, wrapping an arm around her. "Looking lovely, by the way."

"Thanks, Selemene. Sorry I'm late." Lanaya replied, tightening the black and green scarf she had around her neck.

Being told to dress for a "formally casual" dinner party, she went with a simple pink blouse and purple pair of jeans. She thought that she had not dressed accordingly upon seeing that her boss wore a dark blue dress, but sighed in relief upon seeing her senior co-workers. Lanaya approached them after Selemene had left her to attend to her other guests.

Luna had a slightly more formal attire than what Lanaya was used to seeing, seeing the barista wear a blue dress, not unlike Selemene. Her hard expression contrasted with the jolly mood the rest of the room was conveying, obviously uncomfortable with the dress. Her usual blue jacket over the dress was probably the only way people could get her to wear the dress.

Mirana was sporting an elegant white and blue dress, showing off her legs as she tried to compete with Luna's height with her high-heels. And unlike Luna, the manager loves showing how great she looks in dresses. _Who would blame her? She does look good._ thought Lanaya, thinking that Mirana's regal heritage attributed to her current dignified and magnificent look.

Mortred dressed the most casually of everyone with a simple aquamarine shirt and black slacks. It was almost laughable how huge the disparity between her and the two older women, and she either oblivious to it, or just flat out not caring of the fact.

And it was her that first noticed Lanaya approaching them, waving over to the part-timer. "Lanaya! I hope you had a _joyeux soir_ with your friends."

"You didn't have to come Lanaya, I'm sure you college students have some other party going on." Mirana said apologetically.

Lanaya shook her head, brushing the apology aside. "Don't worry. It's always too rowdy for my tastes." She said reassuringly. "Tomorrow morning is what I'm looking forward too. It's the only time the whole dorm is quite."

"Of course! It's Frostivus!" Mortred said ecstatically, wrapping her arms around the college student.

"What do you guys usually have planned?" Lanaya asked as Mortred released her grip.

"Usually I'd spend it with Luna." Mirana said, glancing at the barista who still had a sour expression. "Before, it was the only time in the year that she allowed me in her apartment."

"And I'd usually spend it in Shendel's apartment." Mortred added. "But she's having a great time with her sister, and I don't want to disrupt them."

"It's a good thing you're living with Luna now, right?" Lanaya asked.

"Yes, now we can spend Frostivus as three!" Mirana exclaimed, briefly hugging the baker. She then turned to Luna, who had been quite through the whole conversation. "Why so sour, Luna?"

"Nothing." The barista replied, although the others weren't convinced. Seeing their disbelief, she elaborated. "You know I've never been a fan of these parties."

"Cheer up, Luna. You still have us!" the baker said, standing between Luna and Mirana.

"_Sure_." came Luna's simple reply as she rolled her eyes.

Lanaya looked at the group, wondering something was amiss. "Where's Shendel? Did she come?"

"Yeah, she's over there, with her sister." Luna said, pointing to a table that the waitress was sitting on, her sister on the other side of it.

Lanaya was most surprised at seeing Shendel wearing a white and sky-blue dress, contrasting the usual colours she wore before. The joyful expression she had just from talking with her sister worked well with the dress, signifying an entire shift in her overall mood and attitude, something the others were happy of.

It looked like her sister was wearing Shendel's colours, although with a frilly dress that the others knew Shendel would never wear. Both sisters were in their own little world, conversing with each other without a care in the world.

"What are you girls looking at?" they heard their only waiter say, turning to see him approaching them.

"Looking good, Magi." Luna said, complimenting the waiter as she eyed him.

Magina was dressed in an attire that almost mirrored Lanaya's, only with a shirt in a lighter shade of pink. Noticing this, he wondered if Luna was being sincere with her compliment or was actually making fun of him. Judging by the other's giggling, he's thinking the latter.

"This place is sure becoming lively, right?" he commented as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Sure it is. I'll be leaving soon." Luna replied, earning a gasp from the baker.

"_Pourquoi_? We just got here!" Mortred complained. Luna just shrugged in response, deflating Mortred's enthusiasm.

Seeing the mood turning sour, Lanaya looked around for a fresh change of topic, and her eyes landed on Selemene and her own group of friends.

"Hey, I didn't know your vet was friends with Selemene." She commented.

Both Luna and Mirana turned to what Lanaya was talking about, seeing the vet in question conversing with their boss.

"Yeah, old friends in fact." Mirana said.

"Aiushtha is way older than she looks. Don't be easily deceived by her youthful appearance." Luna added.

"Looks like Sylla is also there." Magina said, joining the topic. "Who are the others, though?"

"The tall woman is Aviliva, Shendel's landlady and old family friend." Mirana explained.

"That thin, sickly woman is called Nyx. She was 'Mene's underground connection." Luna said, taking her turn to explain. "I don't know if she's still, though." She stretched her arms before pulling Mortred by her arm. "We're leaving, Mortred."

Mortred didn't have a chance to protest as Luna brought them to Selemene, saying their farewells before leaving the building. Selemene smiled at the group before going back to whatever topic she was discussing with her peers. Except for one; the thin, sickly woman was staring at them before moving towards their position.

"Can we help you, ma'am?" Mirana asked courteously.

"Selemene told us what you're going through, young manager." The woman named Nyx said. Magina's brows furrowed in confusion seeing Mirana's eyes widened, but he kept his mouth shut upon seeing Lanaya's glare at him.

"Uh, I don't know what you're talking about." Mirana responded, uncomfortable with the subject at hand.

"Don't worry, young manager. She told us that she has called on a friend. But until her daughter comes along," the woman took a glass jar out of her bag, handing it to Mirana. "this will keep you company at night."

With the jar at hand, Mirana saw an eight-legged red beetle within it, confused at the gesture. Both Lanaya and Magina were even more so.

"Trust me. This little creature will keep the night terrors at bay." Nyx said cryptically, before leaving them to their own devices.

"She gave you an insect." Magina said flatly.

"Well, it's the thought that counts, right?" Lanaya added, observing the beetle scurry about. "It sure is an interesting Frostivus gift. Are you gonna keep it?"

"Sure," Mirana answered, thought she was still hesitant. "I have no reason to not. And she's 'Mene's friend, I don't want to anger her, if what Luna said is true."

"It's chittering sounds weird, can you hear it?" Magina said, Lanaya nodding to him as her ear was pressed to the jar.

Curious to what the two were talking about, Mirana brought the jar to her ear, trying to make out what this "chittering" they spoke of. She felt a shiver run down her spine when she finally did.

"_Nyx chichcichcihcihchi_."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

that is actually one of his lines in the game. maybe it's cut, but you guys can check it out in the wiki XD

anyway, here's a short Frostivus eve chapter. there'll be another one out soon on Frostivus.

stay tuned! and thanks for reading!


	48. A Joyous day to Us All

**A Joyous day to Us All**

Light snow trickled down onto the buildings and city streets, a white blanket covering the whole landscape as far as the eye can see. On this most anticipated day of the year all needless activity ceased for the time being, with only a skeleton crew keeping the city running. One building usually bustling with activity is now enjoying the short respite of shared bonding through tranquility, the students within the dorm halls are either exchanging gifts among another, or lining up in front of the buffet they prepared for each other as they grabbed a plate of assorted foods for their breakfast.

One of the students was still sleeping soundly in her bed, her room still untouched for the day. The only sign of activity being her crumpled clothes that she wore the night before, simply discarding them onto the floor. A light series of knocks disrupted the room, but the sleeping student merely shifted within her bed before drifting off once more. With no more of a response, the door slowly opened, her blonde friend tip-toed inside. She knelt next to the bed, her hands landed softly on her sleeping friends form, lightly shaking her.

"Lanaya, _wake up_." Rylai singed. "It's Frostivus, your _favourite day_."

Finally Lanaya stirred, turning on the bed to face Rylai, her eyes still closed. "Ugh, no it isn't, Rylai…" came her slurred reply.

Rylai giggled at the response, standing up from the floor and moving straight to Lanaya's dresser, digging through the folded clothes till she found a warm looking pink sweater for her. When she turned around she saw Lanaya had already sat up but her eyes were still closed, as slumped body struggling to stay awake. She approached her sleeping friend and helped her put on the sweater before she made Lanaya stood up.

With a yawn, Lanaya finally tried to stand up on her own, her feet still wobbling but slowly getting the grip she wanted. Lanaya focused her gaze on Rylai, seeing the blonde smile gave her the energy to wake up. She moved to her table and took out a festive looking envelope, and grabbing the black and green scarf she wore last night before following Rylai out of her room.

They moved together to the student's hall as they joined the bigger group of fellow students within the dorms, Lanaya oblivious to the gift Rylai was carrying behind her. When they arrived, they were greeted by a roomful of their fellow students, enjoying the Frostivus morning together. They stood at the entryway for a short while, mostly gathering themselves before they joined their friends.

Rylai turned her head to see Lanaya still yawning. "So who were you supposed to gift?" she asked.

"Jah'rakal." Lanaya answered, stretching her arms.

Fortunately for her, their trolly friend happened to pass by. "You're getting me what?" he asked her.

A smirk took its place on Lanaya's face as she handed him the envelope. "Here."

Jah'rakal furrowed a scowl as he took Lanaya's gift. "The hell is _this_?"

"It's a number for this _hot girl_ I ended up being friends." She told him, her smirk getting more pronounced. "She said she'd _love_ to date you."

Jah'rakal's eyes widened, a devilish smile taking his usual frown. "Aw, serious! Awesome! Thanks!" he said as he took off.

Rylai just observed the scene that transpired in front of her, wondering why in the world Lanaya would be smirking like she was now. The friend in question noticed Rylai's confusion, her smirk widening even more so as she nudged Rylai with ill intent.

"What did you _do_?" Rylai asked her, prompting Lanaya to snort a laugh unladylike.

"That was _Luna's_ number." Lanaya revealed, earning a gasp from the blonde. "I told her that I wanted to give her number to someone as a joke. I also told her to have _fun_."

"Does she know you gave it to Jah'rakal?" Lanaya shook her head, stifling a giggle that was bursting through. "That's such an _evil_ thing to do, Lanaya. Wow."

"I know, right?" Lanaya finally laughed with all her might, no longer able to hold it in. She happily sighed when she couldn't laugh anymore, wiping her face before she turned to Rylai again. "So, who did _you_ have to gift?"

"You, actually." She handed the gift that she had been holding to Lanaya, smiling after seeing the surprised look on her friend's face.

"Really? Thank you!" She answered genuinely. She took the gift and carefully unwrapped it, finding an indigo pashmina folded neatly within it. "Aw, Rylai, this is _beautiful_!"

She brought her blonde friend into a tight hug, but she was confused when she saw a frown on Rylai's face. "What's wrong?" she asked her.

Rylai turned away from Lanaya's gaze, the childish frown still laden on her face. "You're never gonna wear it."

"What?" came Lanaya's shocked response. "Yes I will!"

Rylai rolled her eyes in disbelief. "Yeah, _right_." Rylai met their gaze, but dropped down to the scarf Lanaya was already wearing. "There's no way you're not gonna stop wearing that scarf the _doctor_ gave you."

Lanaya looked down to the object of Rylai's ire, feeling guilty over the fact that she had in fact worn the scarf since she bumped into Dr. Rubick the week before. Circumstances, and her own lapse in attention, had her without a scarf, and the good doctor gave her the scarf he wore that day. _an early Frostivus gift._ he said to her as he got on his bus.

Lanaya grabbed Rylai's chin, making her blonde friend face her. "I might not wear it as a scarf," Rylai scoffed. "but I'll still wear it, like this." Lanaya wrapped the gifted pashmina around her head in a makeshift hood, covering her head with more warmth.

Rylai's heart was also filled with warmth, just from seeing her friend try to humor her. She hugged Lanaya before her newly hooded into a tight hug before Lanaya finished. Startled for a brief second, Lanaya smile and hugged Rylai back.

"Let's get breakfast." Rylai said, dragging her hooded friend towards the buffet so they could start the rest of Frostivus with the rest of their friends.

_Across the Street_

Mortred stood on the balcony of Luna's apartment, leaning on the railing as she glanced at the college students that were celebrating the day as a collective. She let out a warm breath, seeing the cloud in the cold air. She was waiting for Luna, who's still in the shower, so they could wait for the manager together. She heard a soft mewl coming from her feet, looking down to see little Nova purring next to her.

She picked up the little purple kitten and brought her along inside the apartment, landing on the couch/makeshift bed she's been using for the past few months. As she turned the T.V. on with the kitten on her lap, Luna entered the room, wearing purple shorts and a towel conveniently covering her chest, heading straight to the fridge.

"Aren't you ever _froid_?" Mortred ask, shivering just from seeing the state of undress Luna was in.

The barista just shrugged, taking out a carton of juice and three glasses from the kitchen counter before she joined Mortred on the couch, adjusting the pillow so she could lean on it. She laid the carton and glasses on the coffee table, pouring the juice into the glasses before she took two of them and handed one to Mortred.

Mortred tilted her head as she observed the barista, who down the whole drink in one sitting. "Why don't you drink any alcohol? Did something happened, or…" she left her question open for the barista to answer.

Luna eyed the baker cautiously, wondering where the question came from before she answered it. "A sober mind is better when you're up against someone who isn't." Luna answered. "That's the gist of it at least."

Mortred took in the answer for a moment, but before she could question Luna again a knock came from the door.

"It's open!" Luna yelled, not bothering herself to get up from the couch.

And sure enough, their esteemed manager carefully opened the door as she shuffled inside, carrying an assortment of goods, most likely the breakfast she promised to bring. "Merry Frostivus!" she called out as she joined the others in Luna's living area. She set the take-out that she had ordered before arriving, going with eastern delicacies for their morning treat.

"You look _radiant_, princess. What happened?" Luna asked as Mirana settle herself on the single couch.

"I don't know," Mirana answered truthfully. "but I woke up from what felt like a good night's sleep. I haven't had one in a **long** time." She explained.

"What's wrong with your sleep?" Mortred asked obliviously.

"You'll know, someday." Luna responded cryptically.

"Enough of that nonsense." Mirana said, waving the subject off. "I got you guys gifts!" She said, taking out two gifts from the last bag; one in the form of a small box while the other one was an elbow's length of wrapping, handing the latter to Mortred and the former to Luna.

The two women opened their gifts, although Mortred was more vicious in tearing through the wrapping and was in glee upon seeing a brand new bread knife.

"_Merci_, Mirana!" she said genuinely, moving towards the manager and giving her a brief hug.

Luna's was more discreet: a small silver necklace with a crescent moon. A soft, almost motherly smile replaced Luna's flat expression, nodding to the manager as she put on the necklace. She then went back to the kitchen and took out her own gifts for the two, the silhouettes matching Mirana's gifts.

Mortred's was an authentic eastern dagger, further pushing the former "sister" for her penchant for knives as she brought Luna into a tight hug, despite the older woman's protest. The gift for Mirana almost mirrored what Luna just got, but instead of a necklace, the manager got a pair of earrings with an emblem not unlike the symbol of the Solar Dominion. Mirana almost cried just from the thought of Luna going out of her way for the gift.

"My turn, my turn!" Mortred said before the two senior employees could share the moment, grabbing two different small pillows from under the couch, handing the two women each. She gave a white one to Mirana while Luna got a purple coloured one, with the names "Sagan" and "Nova" etched on it.

"Thanks Mortred, that lazy cat of mine would love this." Mirana said teasingly.

Luna went straight to little Nova, placing the small kitten on the pillow. "Look what Mortred got you, Nova." She said with a soft smile, earning a loud purr from Nova as the little kitten settled herself on the pillow before falling asleep.

"Thanks for having me a part of this guys!" Mortred announced, tears also in her eyes.

Luna, seeing both her "guests" tearing up, stepped in. "Alright, let's have breakfast. I don't want your tears flooding my apartment."

They all shared a hearty, joyous laugh as they finally dug in to the breakfast Mirana had brought, content with the warmth they were sharing on that single day. But not before a single question sprung from the manager's mouth.

"What do you think Magina's doing?"

_On the other side of town_

A still tired and sleepy Elodie had just woken up from her slumber, trodding her way down the hall of her sister's apartment and still rubbing her eyes in her futile effort in trying to open her eyes, yawning all the while. She saw the Shendel's shape in the kitchen and carefully made her way towards the dining table as she waited for what she assumed to be the breakfast that Shendel was making.

Elodie didn't bother opening her eyes now, content with just sitting on the chair as she waited, simply happy as the heavens would allow her to be just from being with her sister as of that moment. She however was a little confused when she smelt smoke, and an odd slight warmth from something in front of her. Curious as to what, she finally opened her eyes, and was confused at the sight in front of her.

Shendel was sitting across her, but right in front Elodie was a cake with four candles on top of it with the inscription "Happy BIRTHDAY" sprayed across the icing. Elodie didn't know what to feel, as she was utterly confused.

Shendel finally broke the silence when she spoke. "Happy birthday, sis." She said with the softest voice Elodie has ever heard.

"But, Shen… It's not my birthday, it's Frostivus." Elodie countered, but Shendel just shook her head.

"Yes, you're right. But this is for all the birthdays we didn't spend together." Shendel said, grabbing Elodie's hand.

Elodie was just shocked from thought, trying her best to wipe the silent happy tears falling down her cheeks. She turned to face her oldest sister with a confident and grateful smile.

"Merry Frostivus, sis." she said, moving to give Shendel the strongest hug she could give.

And just as they were about to cut the cake, a knock came from the door. "_Girls, you have a_ special _guest!_" they heard Aviliva say from the other side.

Shendel got off from the chair and made her way towards the door, with Elodie trailing behind. They were not prepared for who it was that actually arrived in front of their doorstep.

"Merry Frostivus Shen, Elodie!" Dragonus said, presenting the gifts he brought for the sisters.

Now it was Shendel who was at a loss for words, but Elodie took her place, greeting their guests in place. "Dragonus! What a surprise!" she said as she hugged the young man. She turned to the land lady who was grinning sheepishly at them. "Aunt Aviliva, did you know this?"

"I _may _have gotten word of it a few weeks ago." She said to the teen.

Shendel finally shook herself out her reverie, frowning at Dragonus' appearance although she wasn't angry at the man. She sighed and addressed both Dragonus and Aviliva.

"We were just about to have a birthday cake for Elodie, come join us." She said, inviting both Dragonus and Aviliva inside her apartment. Elodie was jubilant, enjoying the Frostivus she's always wanted, with her most precious people.

_Elze's State Zoo_

The esteemed vet had just woken up on her makeshift bed within her office, still dressed in the clothes she wore to Selemene's dinner party the night before. She heard a loud snore coming from her grove, smiling widely as she remembered the big bear that followed her home. She made her way towards the grove, intent on waking up the old man from his slumber.

And sure enough, Sylla was still deep in his hibernated slumber with his ursine companion cuddling on him, despite the bandages that made it hard for him to move (and Aiushtha's warnings). She was also pleasantly surprised to see the small ursa cub on Sylla, also sleeping soundly. She then settled on kneeling on the ground, content with just staring at the collection of bears in front of her.

Sylla, feeling the odd stair for his sleep, slowly opened his eyes to greet his friend and vet coughing to notify her that she was awake.

"Slept soundly, Sylla?" she asked with the chipper tune she always had.

"Aye, Enchantress." He answered, his hand subconsciously moving to pet the ursa cub, and a look of surprise taking place, drawing his gaze towards it. "Ah, how's yer slumber, pup?"

The cub squeaked his response at Sylla, with Aiushtha giggling at the scene in front of her. "How 'bout I give ya a name? Ulfsaar, eh? Good?" another squeak came, with Aiushtha nonstop giggling filling the otherwise silence in her grove accompanying the snore of these ursas that had occupied it.

_The Enchantress and her ursas. What an odd way to spend Frostivus._ she thought.

_Somewhere in a Tavern_

Magina stood outside the Panda's Brew, contemplating his next course of action before he finally relented with a sigh and made his way inside the tavern. He made his way straight to the counter, ignoring all the unconscious bodies that were sprawled on the floor, taking a stool directly in front of the owner of the establishment.

"Wot can I get ya?" the tubby bartender asked.

"Anything that does not have any alcohol." Magina replied. "I do **not** want to be plastered this early in the morning."

"Coming right up." The bartender replied.

Magina waited on the counter, his mind somewhere else and making him unaware of his surroundings, specifically with the approaching form of a heavily scarred man, his cyan eyes boring straight through a person's soul. The man just stared at Magina.

Magina was startled when he mindlessly turned his gaze to the man's position. "Can I get you anything?" he asked out of courtesy.

The man just chuckled. "Nothing. Just that, I sense a _connection_ between us."

"Hm, I know what you mean." Magina agreed. "I don't know what in the void it is, but I can feel it too."

"Odd, isn't it?" the man said.

Magina took a sip from the drink that was just handed to him, a simple carbonated juice, but he could still feel the man's stare. He met the man's gaze once more. "Can I help you with anything?"

"Oh, don't worry." He replied darkly. "I'm surprised you're spending Frostivus alone. Care to explain, brother?"

Magina furrowed his brow, confused and creeped out at the man calling him brother. "Nothing spectacular. Just no plans."

A sound of a ringtone came before the man could continue the conversation, Magina taking out his phone from his pocket.

"Hello?" he answered.

"_Hey, Magina! What are you doing now?_" the sound of his manager calmed him down, almost soothing him from the weird vibe he got from the scarred man next to him.

"Uh, nothing really. Just drinking in a pub." He answered truthfully.

"_What? Why are you drinking this early in the morning?_"

"No no, I'm not drinking any al-"

"_Whatever, that's not important. I want you to get your ass over to Luna's apartment now. You remember where it is, right?_"

Magina raised a brow at the command, but he was all to accepting of the invitation, partly from just spending Frostivus with someone he knows and partly from getting himself as far away from the strange man as possible.

"Okay, I'll head there straight away." He answered.

"_Great! See you here!_" Mirana said before hanging up the phone.

Magina sighed greatfully, taking out his wallet and handing the bartender the money for the drink her ordered. "Thanks for the juice." He said, making his way out.

"Be careful out there on the road, _brother_."

A shiver went down Magina's spine as he heard the man's words, quickly making his way out of the tavern and hailing for a cab, happy to rid himself of the unneeded solitude in exchange for the warmth of people on the supposed joyous day.

_I hope I never see that man again._ he said as the cab drove off.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

yay, finally finished the Frostivus chapter! i'll be honest, i had a lot of trouble writing this, mostly because: a) i don't really celebrate it, and; b) so do most people here, so there's not much "Christmas spirit" i could try to emulate, aside from how it's portrayed in outside media. hope i did well enough though.

hope you guys had fun reading this chapter! a special glance to each Dark Moon employee on this joyous day!

and thanks again for reading!


	49. New Resolutions

**New Resolutions**

_It's so quiet out here…_

Lanaya thought as she hugged her knees to her chest, swaying beneath the Protector under the pale moonlight as she waited for the year to end. There was no reason for her to be here as she had already planned on sleeping through the "event", finding no reason to celebrate it. She would've hung out at Luna's apartment if the older woman (or her temporary roommate) didn't have their own plans for the evening.

The only thing that pulled her towards the oddly empty park was the dream she had just less than an hour ago; a dream of that enigma of a person showing her the Protector, and nothing else but a nod coming from his covered face as he let her wake up from her brief slumber. She remembered trying to shrug off the feeling that tugged at her so, but it kept on nagging at the back of her mind, leading her to finally succumbing to its wishes.

Now here she was, still swaying with her knees to close to her chest, wondering why the park was so empty. She never had gone anywhere during the day where people embraced the New Year, but she assumed that Heroes Lane would be one of the venues used for people to celebrate it. _Guess I was wrong_ she thought as she moved on letting her knees go so she could lie on the cold night grass.

The Dark Moon had been closed since Frostivus, and as much she loved her friends, seeing them every day in the dorms had tired her, especially since she had nowhere else to go during the break. She hadn't seen Shendel the longest, as the senior waitress was spending most of her tie trying to make up for whatever was lost. Lanaya sighed, berating herself for some selfish need that was inside her.

Mirana was more recent, as she bumped into the manager as she left Luna's apartment on Frostivus. They exchanged a brief hug before Mirana had to run off to whatever other thing she had going on that day. She also got random texts from Mirana once in a while, mostly the older women checking up on her.

She was glad that, because they lived across the street, that she could still stop by Luna's apartment here and there. Despite Luna's apparent indifference, there was no denying that she enjoyed the college student's company. Mortred was even more obvious with her affections. And yet even now they were out on their own. Luna had told her that an "old friend" (who Lanaya _assumed_ was the Queen herself) had called her up so they could spend some time together when the ball dropped. Mortred just left the apartment with a backpack, citing that she wanted to spend her alone time on Vegrandis Peak.

All of this accumulated with her wanting to get up off her butt and go back to the dorms. And yet something was still holding her in place, some unimaginable weight that pushed her to the ground. She did not dwell on the idea of whether it was imaginary or not, instead focusing on **why** she felt so glued to the ground. And why that trench coat wearing man was in her dreams. It was all too weird for her.

"Ah, what a pleasant _surprise_ to see you here, Lanaya." Her ears perked up at the sound of that voice.

Lanaya propped herself up with her arms on the ground, her eyes meeting the green gaze of the fidgety doctor that she's grown closer these past few months. She inwardly swallowed, not knowing what to say to his sudden appearance. She was also glad that the scarf she was wearing; the same green scarf he had given her, in fact; at least covered her mouth so he couldn't see how much she was struggling for words.

"Are you not cold?" he asked her, although his gaze had moved to the night sky.

Lanaya looked down to what she was wearing, noticing that she only wore a pink jacket and pajama bottoms; not suited for the cold white weather. She tugged her knees to her chest for warmth.

"I didn't notice the cold, actually." She finally croaked out. "But it _is_ getting a little chilly…"

The doctor chuckled slightly before bellowing a chipper laugh at her expense, leading to a small shade of red to spread on Lanaya's cheeks. Without another word, the doctor sat himself next to the college student, pulling one end of the scarf around his own neck. Lanaya's cheeks became redder from his actions, and the doctor was just as oblivious, at least that's what she thought. It was always hard for her to truly understand what the doctor was thinking, as his radical and unorthodox way of thinking had proven to her and everyone else (that, and his work, were why she was so fixated with him in the first place.)

She straightened herself before engaging him. "Excuse me, Doctor Rubick…"

"Lanaya, I told you to just call me Rubick." He cut her off.

She smiled for a moment before continuing where she left off. "Um, _Rubick_, I've always wondered why you never take off your mask."

"Ah, you're curious as to what my face looks like?" Lanaya nodded, earning a chuckle from the doctor. "Are you sure though? I don't think my unattractive face would sit well with how your friends think of us."

This time he bellowed a heavy laugh while Lanaya could only pout. He was always blunt, and despite his apparent absent-mindedness, he is actually very aware of everything around him (even the gossip that sprung from two particular sisters.) Lanaya just waited for Rubick to calm down, and when he did, his green eyes met hers but the humor that was there before had disappeared. It frightened her, if only a bit.

"Are you really sure?" he asked once more, drawing out the r's as per his usual tic. "I'm known from scaring people off with how I look like."

Lanaya was almost in disbelief, thinking that Rubick thought that she would think of him less just because he might have been unattractive. She set him straight, albeit with a frown. "I wouldn't do that. I've always admired you, even before I ever saw a picture of you."

"Haha, alright. You asked for it." He said as he slipped his gloved fingers under the mask and slowly pulled it off. He chuckled when he heard Lanaya wince, knowing full well why. His face was complete mess, from what he could remember. Burn marks covered most of it, only leaving his right eye and forehead clean. The scars that layered on top of it was also deep, particularly the huge gash that went diagonally over his face. What struck most however was his right cheek; the fact that most of it wasn't there. His teeth were bared to the world because of it. And according to his peers, his eyes somehow looked like it glowed whenever he took off his mask. All in all, this made him look more dead than alive.

He flinched subconsciously when he felt a hand touch his broken cheek, broken out of his trance and surprised by none other than her actions. He can see the look pain on her face, empathizing what she saw.

She brought her other hand to his other cheek, caressing the burned scars. "What happened?" she asked him.

He tilted his head to the side, smirking from these turn of events. "Hm, where were you around 30 years ago? Were you born yet?" Lanaya shook her head, prompting him to continue. "Well, let's just say I was always a, curious child."

"I always read up on my father's researches, and all of the books he had in his room. He also gave me free reign on his workshop, so I'd just try mixing or creating things, just for the thought." He stopped for a moment, holding her hands with his own so he could direct them off his face. "Aaaand, one thing lead to another, after a mixture of unstable chemicals, my face was burned."

Lanaya could only wince deeper and deeper as the doctor told his little story. "I remember the pain and screaming, but it all became a blur, and soon I had bandages around my face. Although my own mother was both grateful and livid, Aghanim just told me that it was a life lesson I should cherish for the rest of my life."

"As cold as that may have sounded, it was what pushed me to become who I am today." He chuckled again, much to Lanaya's surprise. "I had to wear a mask because my face is now sensitive to the open air, and-"

"Oh my God, sorry!" Lanaya interrupted, trying to pull the mask down but the doctor stopped her.

"It's alright. I usually let my mask off during this time of the year, just so I can appreciate the air." He drew his breath before addressing her again. "Now, aside from 'health issues', people are usually scared off by my zombie-like face, which while hilarious to see some people run off, it was hard to hold a conversation when people moved to another room."

"But you, young Lanaya, are very odd, not even flinching at my deformed face." He asked her with astonishment laden in his voice. "Why is that?"

Lanaya closed her eyes, building herself up before she responded the doctor's question. "I didn't care what you looked like, Rubick, and never will. Your works, your views and just who you are is what drew me, it's the reason why…" she was hesitant, but she was in denial for far too long, so she braced herself for what's to come. "it's why always kind of wanted something _more_."

Lanaya couldn't see much of a reaction from the doctor, aside from his eyes slightly widening. But a smirk and a tilt of his head somehow meant for her to continue. "I just, thought it was some weird feeling of admiration… especially since you're so much more older than me, but…" she sighed sadly, thinking the repercussions of such a relationship, shaking her head while she did so. "I don't know… maybe this was too weird after all." She said as she tried to get herself up, but was stopped by the doctor holding her hand.

She turned to meet his gaze, still half-standing. "What would be so weird? Your friends' teasing real? Or the age gap?" the doctor chuckled as he pulled her down to the grass. "Age becomes irrelevant as you get older. Look at King Ostarion for example; By all accounts, he should've died of old age decades ago, and yet his wife is just a few years younger than myself."

Rubick laid himself down on the grass, his hands behind his head as he stared up at the bright lights that were now adorning the skies as the clock slowly ticked to midnight.

"This doesn't bother you?" Lanaya asked, still conflicted.

The doctor just shrugged in response. "Not one bit, just like anything that came blasting into my life."

"But somehow, it still feels like a one-sided crush." She stated, her concerns drawing Rubick's full attention.

He got himself up again, to deal with how serious this was for her. "One-sided? Possibly." He said matter-of-factly. Lanaya's shoulders slumped, but tensed back when he brought his hand to it. "But I will say this: your enthusiasm for everything I stood for has reignited my passion."

"In what?" she asked.

Rubick smirked with his cheekless face. "_Everything_." he answered, bringing a smile to her face. "Which is why I'll look forward to our future endeavors, whatever they may be."

That was the sign of hope that Lanaya had wanted, her bright smile filling the doctor with joyful relief. He wasn't prepared for Lanaya standing on her knees and kissing his forehead, before bringing his head to her chest, holding onto him dearly. Rubick, for the most part, was for once at a loss at what he was supposed to do. Luckily, Lanaya spoke before he could.

"This will be **so** weird, Doctor." She said offhandedly as fireworks started clashing with the skies en masse.

"Just like everything in life should be." He responded, lifting himself up as Lanaya's hold lessened.

"Thank you, for giving this a chance." She said as she hugged him.

"Don't worry about anything." He assured her, just as he pulled his mask back on. "It'll be just like an adventure."

"Can we go somewhere? Like, a date?" she proposed.

"I'd be delighted, but I don't know where we could go."

"Me neither. How about the library?"

Both the doctor and the part-timer shared a mutual laugh as the clock struck midnight, neither of them paying no attention to the riot that was forming around the park. But close to the Protector, yet still far from where they stood, a mysterious man in a purple trench coat stood observingly. His purple glowing eyes eyed the two, unaware of his presence.

"So **this** is what you do in your spare time." A ghastly voice spoke beside him. He berated himself for also not sensing her presence before facing his sister.

"Not most of it." His deep reply came. The sister in question sat peacefully on an imaginary seat, floating nearby him. Her ethereal white modest dress clung both tightly and loosely on her.

"Out of all the things you could be doing, you chose to meddle in the love-affairs of a college student?" the sister asked teasingly, her floating form moving closer towards him until they were mere centimeters apart. "You sure have some odd hobbies, Chrow."

The enigma bellowed a deep chuckle, no doubt realizing how odd it was for him to be doing this. "She needed it." He told her. "After the time when she naively sought my presence, I felt like she needed a little bit of support."

The sister giggled at her brother's reasoning, before grasping his hand. "Come now. Our eldest brother is calling for us. And I'm sure he'll be none too pleased for you to be meddling this closely with their lives."

He nodded, no doubt agreeing with the statement.

The sister closed her eyes and basked both her and her brother in a bright white glow, and in just a blink of an eye, they disappeared.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

_LanayaxRubick OTP:_ i don't know how that started, but i'm all for it XD

anyways, the last of the "filler/fluff/light" chapter before we tackle one of our protagonists' past once more!

hope you enjoyed it!


	50. The Leviathan's Hunt

**The Leviathan's Hunt**

The New Year opened as cold as it ended, the frozen waters of the docks periodically cracked apart to give access to the docking ships as they moored themselves to the piers. Althought for the most part, activities this early in the year would mostly consist of departures, be it person or cargo (although in some cases the person would end up being the cargo, when it comes to the underground businesses.)

It just so happens that a certain manager of the Dark Moon coffee shop was waiting on the boardwalk for the daughter of one of Selemene's friends, accompanied by the barista and the two "junior" waiters/tresses.

At the edge of the boardwalk was where Mirana stood, visibly shaken though not from the cold weather. It was odd for the others to see how stiff she was despite the shaking, a sign of how her body subconsciously processes the anxiety. They offered her words of encouragement and assurance, but all it did was put a smile on her face that would disappear not a moment later. It was starting to worry them.

Magina was stumped, for he was completely out of the loop for what Mirana was going through. Luna had been gracious enough to fill in the blanks for him since he came back, but there are so many things that he doesn't know about his coworkers, especially since secrets are apparently running the coffee shop. Lanaya wasn't having a better time of it herself, despite knowing what was troubling their manager. She always thought that Atropos wasn't real, so seeing Mirana being this distressed was entirely foreign to her, making her incapable of empathizing what she's going through. The only person that was able wasn't willing for some nonsensical reason, and with all her might, Lanaya tried to make Luna help out.

At some point down the line, her efforts bore fruit as the eldest woman just sighed, conceding to the part-timer's wishes. Now the two young adults stare at Luna's behind as she walked down the boardwalk and stopping by Mirana. Her presence was immediately taken notice off as Mirana turned her head to Luna's, her blue eyes meeting indigo. The lack of lips moving meant that no words were exchanged between the two, from what the others could tell, and they couldn't see Luna's face clearly, but Mirana's slightly watering eyes and reddening face could show the emotions she was conveying to the older woman. With a sigh, Luna brought Mirana's head to her shoulder, much to the surprise of everyone that saw them. Mirana didn't complain as she rested on Luna, the barista patting her head affectionately, giving off a motherly vibe that she seldom showed.

Far from the younger ears that could only watch, Luna now can focus her attention on the young manager. "What's wrong with you?" she asked bluntly, causing Mirana to flinch. "I thought you said you were sleeping better."

"I don't know, Luna…" Mirana answered with a whisper. "I thought the nightmares had stopped, maybe Atropos moved on, but then just last night, it came back. In full force, stronger than before."

Luna sighed again; she didn't like being emotional to the manager, but she would always relent whenever Atropos was brought up. It was Selemene after all that told Luna to always accommodate the younger woman, both in hopes that Luna could open herself up more as well and for the both of them to grow closer.

That's also why she knew Lanaya's and Magina's efforts were futile; Mirana didn't need words, she needed someone who understood what she was going through. And that person right now is Luna. The barista brought her arm around the manager, to comfort her and to guide her along as they head back to the others.

Magina was flabbergasted, his jaw striking the ground as he clearly has never seen Luna be so affectionate to _anyone_, let alone Mirana. _how could someone change so much?_ he thought. Lanaya just covered her already-masked face with her hands, hiding the smile she had in glee, knowing that it would just infuriate Luna.

When the older two had passed the other two, Luna glanced at them and said, "Find a cart vendor," she half-ordered to them. "we'll get some food."

The four of them wandered around the boardwalk, looking for any sort of cart vendors that had already opened their stalls, if there were any. Luckily for them, a peculiar looking vendor providing food hailing from the Cathauran Deserts, consisting of warm curries, flat breads and kebabs to name a few. Luna ordered each person a separate meal after she guided the manager to an available bench that Lanaya joined. Magina helped Luna in carrying the meals to the others, shooing him away so she could pay the vendor.

"What're you doing here, Gondar?" she asked the vendor, who so happened to be the bounty hunter that had frequently pestered her.

"What, can't a man have his hobbies?" he replied with a shrug before laughing at Luna's consternation. "Enjoyed the foods of my people?" he asked teasingly.

Luna glanced at the kebab she had in her own hand, taking a bite out of it so she could judge the annoying hunter's cooking. Much to her dismay, the food actually tasted good, and peeking to the side to see the others, she could see that they also enjoyed it. She swallowed the food before sighing, conceding defeat. Her irritation peaked, however, when she could see the smirk behind Gondar's mask.

"Not bad." She finally answered.

Gondar beamed with pride at the small victory before sitting back down to continue reading his book. Luna just went to the others as had already finished half their meals, leaving Luna with her more than adequate portion. She just stood there, taking random bites as the others finished theirs before she could, Lanaya in particular looked really grateful upon seeing Mirana's content expression. She was about to say something to the older woman before being cut off by someone approaching them.

"Well hello!" someone called out from a yacht that was moored beside them. All heads turned to see an older looking man with a neatly trimmed beard and a scar on his forehead in the shape of an X. He wore a blue raincoat and an accompanying rain cap over a worn out white shirt and brown pants. He carried with him a brown pack around him with some kind of telescope peering from it.

"Salutations, land-walkers!" he called out, bowing on his yacht. He stood where he was, observing each person with a confident smile.

Lanaya was the first one to respond. "Um, hello?"

"It's odd to see so many people this early in the morning, and this early in the year." He stated, walking around the deck of his yacht. "What say you? What sort of endeavor do you have planned?"

"We're waiting for our boss' friend's kid." Luna answered for them. "They live on the other side of the world, and she doesn't like flying."

"Ah, taking a voyage across the seas, eh?" he straightened himself before addressing them again. "How about I tell you all a story while you wait?"

All eyes looked at each other for confirmation, before looking to Luna for her final say. The older woman just shrugged, leading Lanaya to nod at the man. Even Gondar had closed the book he was reading.

"Very well!" the man responded, taking in as much as through his nose before exhaling it slowly. "How many of you know of the leviathans?"

"You mean mythical gargantuan whales?" Magina commented, his brow raised already in skepticism.

The man chuckled upon hearing Magina's response. "Sure, 'mythical' since no one has ever lived to actually tell their stories. Except for myself."

"I remember a time when I was still an admiral of the Claddish Navy decades ago, when the world was still at war. The horrors of it were as prevalent in the seas as they were on the lands. And the fleet was on its way back to Trembling Bay for repairs. But we were still far away from it; at best we would reach home within 24 hours. Just the thought of reaching home soil was enough to spur my sailors to work overtime for the rest they deserved."

"Everything was going as planned; no enemy ships within our radar, no rouge aircrafts heading our way, just us in the quiet night of the seas. But something odd happened, something I'm not used to. All of a sudden, I looked out to see that a thick fog had surrounded the fleet, to the point where it was difficult to see the other ships."

"My men and I were stumped; the forecast did not foresee this kind of weather, especially around the Trembling Bay where one could often see the seas as far as their eyes can. We kept our channels open so we could keep track of everybody, making sure no ships would separate. With clear orders, everything was going according to plan, despite our delayed trek. Then, out of nowhere, I heard the screams of my men from beyond the fog, and I heard the sound of metal cracking through pressure, before the sound of water engulfing everything."

"Static filled the bridge, and now all ships were on alert, but nobody could identify what this threat was. We couldn't even detect it, and the silence did its job in scaring my men. They were trained to face other ships from afar, and face their fellow man if it ever comes to that. But **this**, this is something else."

"Then screams once again filled the air, but this time filled with gunfire. It lasted longer, probably through whatever defense my men were holding. And yet even that wasn't enough, as not long after we could hear the loud cracking again, this time the sound of the ship sinking was clearer to us."

"Just when my men were starting to panic, the fog lifted. There were cheers of relief, yet I felt something wrong with this. Sure, we could the other ships again, except of course the ones that sunk, but it felt like the fog was still obscuring our view, as it was impossible to look out into the open seas. And then, just like that, we felt a ripple."

"Not an actual ripple, but in context it was just the start, as it slowly grew, making waves that caused the ships to almost topple over. I ran across the deck, glancing at the ocean to find the source of this anomaly. Standing at the forward deck, I saw what looked like to be the beginnings of a maelstrom, now strong enough to pull the ships around it, causing a few to crash onto each other."

"We all braced ourselves for our inevitable deaths, yet it suddenly stopped. The seas were calm again, but this time nobody was quick to celebrate. Everyone was cautious of what is to come, and on instinct I ordered all ships to aim their guns to where the maelstrom was, and then we waited. Waited for what felt like an eternity, yet no one was fully prepared for what came next."

"From the center, the waters rose as they were drawn by the creature that had emerged itself from the deeps. And it truly was gargantuan; its length was probably as long as the very ship I was standing on. Its greenish scales were all over its body, with darker green stripes on top of it. Its yellow eyes stared at me with malice, its gaping jaw about to strike me. Seeing this, I ordered the ships to fire. And all it did was stagger the beast, just making it change targets."

"It slammed its jaw down onto one of the ships, and I saw that it had tentacles in place of fins on its hind. These things were used for more than moving, as it coiled itself on the other ships, crushing it. Its constant trashing in the waters did well in decimating the fleet, and all I could see were the remains; men still clinging onto the floating debris as the color red slowly covered the waters."

"Interestingly enough, what frightened me most of the creature, when it turned its attention back to my ship, was the fact that the creature had forelimbs, using it to climb aboard the ship. Without a doubt, its wait made sure that it instead dragged us down with it. It roared at us, and with the few of my men left still standing and able, we took our guns and aimed, our last stand against the beast and opened fire. Sure enough the creature barely reacted, and soon we met the dark cold abyss."

All five people that had been closely listening to the former admiral's story just stared at him, who was oddly smiling in remembrance, if that was in fact a true story. Magina obviously didn't believe a single word that the admiral had said, while Lanaya was just in awe of the story, not caring whether it was true or not. Both Luna and Gondar just stared, their faces not giving a hint of emotion (although Gondar had his face mask for help.)

Mirana, after looking at the others, responded to that admiral. "Then what happened?" she asked him.

"Then? I do not know." He answered, causing Mirana to furrow her brows in annoyance. "All that happened later was that I found myself waking up on the sandy shores of Trembling Bay. There were paramedics soon on where I landed, and a barrage of questions thrown at me. I was notified later that day that there were no survivors. None, whatsoever. Except for myself."

"Doesn't that sound odd?" Magina said, still voicing his skepticism.

"Indeed it does. And- oh, looks like the ship you were waiting for has finally arrived." He said, pointing to the other side of the pier.

Mirana wasted no time in heading towards the docking ship, while Magina and Lanaya were busy arguing about the context of the admiral's tale, and just as they were about to turn to him, the admiral was gone. Magina just shrugged as he walked to where Mirana was while Lanaya was more confused at where the former admiral had gone to.

Luna was about to join the others before Gondar called out to her. "You know who he is, don't you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Gondar. I never read newspapers as religiously back then."

"But you **do** know who he is."

Luna stopped where she stood, glancing at the bounty hunter. "Yes, what of it?"

"You're not gonna tell your friends that they just listened to the story of a ghost?" he asked her, with a hint of amusement in his voice.

Luna looked back at him, her eyes deep in contemplation before she graced Gondar with an answer. "They've already experienced a phantom experience before, bounty hunter." She told him before she moved again. "They don't need to know of things that don't concern them."

When she was halfway to where the others were, Gondar called out one last time. "See you around, _Scourge of the Plains._" He bellowed a deep laugh, and if the boardwalk wasn't empty, Luna would've turned around and punched him where he sat. Instead she just walked quietly to Luna's side, the both of them flanked by Lanaya and Magina.

"Do you know what she looks like?" Luna asked, not in the best of moods thanks to the bounty hunter.

"No, but Selemene told me to look out for a girl who looked as carefree as a fairy."

"What in the Void is that supposed to mean?" Magina said before Luna could utter the same thought.

"I don't know, but after last night, I wasn't in the mood to ask questions."

"But, you could've at least asked for a picture, Mirana." Lanaya joined in. Luna could see from the edge of her peripheral vision that Mirana was becoming stressed. "That way, it would be easier for us."

"Look, I know I should've been thorough, but cut me some slack, okay?!" Mirana bursted, causing Lanaya and Magina to back away slightly, surprised by the manager's out of character response. Luna meanwhile just chuckled.

"I just, just…" Mirana was now hyperventilating, no longer feeling the cold from the sweat pouring on her. "I…" She felt someone tug her arm downward, and saw all eyes look to something that was below them.

She turned to see a young girl wearing a light blue and pink jacket, and a pink beanie. She carried with her a small backpack with wings protruding from it. Her pink eyes were striking, and emphasized the bright smile she had.

"Are you Mirana?" she asked her.

"Yes." Mirana answered, all of a sudden the stress leaving her body upon seeing this young girl. "Are you Puck?"

"Mhm." Puck answered with a nod. She called Mirana down, pulling the manager to a crouching position in front of her and brought her hands to the sides of Mirana's head. "Mum told me to help with your dreams."

And everything went black.


	51. Uncoiling Nightmare

**Uncoiling Nightmare**

White.

Quiet.

Serene.

Unnatural.

Unnerving.

That's what Mirana thought of the realm that she woke up to when she had regained her consciousness. She didn't know what this place was, as eerie as it may be. She had a feeling that this was all a dream, but she was skeptical because this does not look like the night terrors she remembered she had for the past few months. She looked down on herself and saw that she was not dressed in anything, feeling the need to cover herself. She shook her head soon after, berating herself when she realized how ridiculous it was since this was all probably a dream and that she was all alone in this white void.

She straightened herself and set forth in no general direction, walking onward for what felt like an eternity yet her feet did not tire. She just trekked on and on till the silence that blanketed her finally got to her. She halted where she stood, taking regulated breaths to calm her nerves before she'd move on down this imaginary land. _Tap_ she heard from somewhere behind her. She spun on her heel, trying to look for whatever it was yet she found nothing. She was both annoyed that her own mind was playing tricks on her and scared, thinking that she was actually losing it in a place like this.

Then she heard it again. _Tap_. _Tap_. And another _tap_. She kept turning from here to there, trying to find whatever it was that made it but she only succeeded in almost tripping herself. She shook her head once more, still trying to get a sense of herself. _I must be losing it._ she thought before continuing where she left off.

Unfortunately that was a feat in and of itself, since all the turning had only made her lose her way, as irrelevant as it may seem. Now the panic started to settle in as her mind started grasping on the peril she was in, and deep in her own problems, she did not realize the figure that slowly approached her.

"_I see you are distressed, mortal,_" the figure called out, startling Mirana from where she stood. She turned to face a peculiar looking being that brought her to awe. It was the most alien looking thing she's ever seen. A lanky blue body with pink tattoo-like stripes all over. Although it has an effeminate form, it was mostly androgynous. It had four arms with three fingers and toes each; each limb even had a flap that looked like a wing. The being also had bigger flaps that protruded from its shoulders to support the actual wings on its back. Its head was an almost perfect sphere with three antennas on top, wide completely orange eyes staring at her. A quick glance also showed that the being had a tail with a similar pattern and form as its wings. "_do not worry, for I am here to help._"

Mirana was slack-jawed, but one nagging thought was now stronger than the others, something familiar about the being's voice, until she gasp in realization, her eyes widening in surprise. "Pu- Puck?"

"_That is a name I can go by, yes._ this alien looking Puck answered.

"Ugh, what happened? How did I get here?"

"_My physical form put you into a deep slumber._" Puck answered.

Mirana furrowed her brows. "Really?"

"_Yes._" Puck closed the distance between them, planting all four of its hands onto Mirana's head. "_Let me show you._"

_Back on the Pier_

Mirana slumped down onto the little girl, now unconscious thanks to Puck's touch. It immediately drew the other's attention, as they moved to inspect them.

"Mirana? What's wrong?" Lanaya asked as she crouched beside the manager, nudging her body.

"'Mene warned me about this." Luna said as she eyed the scene.

"What happened?" Magina asked behind her.

"The tired lady is now sleeping!" Puck told them with a smile. "It's so I can help her."

"So nothing's wrong with her?" Lanaya asked, still worried for the manager.

"No, but mum told me that her dreams are wrong. That's why I'm here!"

Luna sighed defeatedly, crouching down so she could pick Mirana up in her arm. She brought her hand into Mirana's breast pocket, taking out a pair of keys before throwing them to Magina. "You're driving," she told him, before turning to the other two. "come, let's get to the Dark Moon."

_In the Dreamland_

Mirana shook her head after the vision that was relayed to her. She looked at Puck's eyes for reaffirmation. "So we're in the Dark Moon now?"

Puck nodded. "_With everyone else. Selemene is watching over our physical bodies as we speak._"

"Are you, asleep as well?"

"_Of course! It is a symbiotic procedure._"

Mirana was so far content with the answers, until another question popped into her train of thought. "So, why… why are you, like this?" Mirana said as she gestured to Puck's form.

"_Are you confused by this?_" Mirana nodded, urging Puck to continue. "_This is the form I take in the land where I can show my true potential._"

"And what 'land' is this?" Mirana prodded on.

Puck smiled, somehow both unnerving and comforting Mirana. "This _is your own personal dreamland. And I am here to guide you._"

"But, how can this be my dreamland?" Mirana asked, still with doubt. "This isn't what I've been dream."

"_That is simply because we are in a protective bubble._" Puck said, and proceeded to giggle upon seeing Mirana's confused expression. "_This white plain is all but a simple lie, mortal._"

The confused expression turned to worry, as Mirana was now looking at her surroundings as to what Puck meant. "_Do not worry._" Puck said to her. "_We are all safe as long as I am here._"

Mirana hesitantly let her shoulders down, conceding herself to this otherworldly being in front of her. "Then what should we do now?" she asked.

"_Now?_" Puck chuckled, before putting a hand on Mirana's shoulder. "_Now we head towards the assassin."_

"The… what?" yet Mirana's words were ignored as Puck was already on the move, almost leaving Mirana behind if it weren't for her running after the dream creature.

They once again trekked on for what felt like hours, Mirana wondering how Puck could be so certain of their direction; for all she knew, they were probably lost, already walking in circles. And each time Mirana would voice this, Puck would just raise a hand and silence her, motioning her to continue their journey. Mirana did realize, however, that the dreamland was slowly taking a tinge of purple, as if Puck's protective barrier was waning.

"_It is alright. We are almost at the assassin's location._" Puck said, as if knowing what Mirana's thoughts were. "_And speak of the devil, there he is._"

Mirana gasped, covering her mouth upon setting her eyes on this 'assassin' that Puck had spoke of, trapped within the purple tendrils that acted as its confines. It was the odd eight-legged beetle that Nyx, Selemene's friend, had given her on Frostivus eve. It was no longer the tiny little insect that she was accustomed to, instead its height now fully reached Mirana's chest. She could see its carapace in perfect detail, looking more like some sort of battle armor that looked like it could deflect even the strongest shell fired upon it. There were no visible eyes from what she could tell, and if there were, it would probably be covered by the helmet that it wore. The carapace accentuated its more frightening features, such as its claws and mandibles. Upon closer inspection, Mirana also some sort of bright orange crystal that protruded from its carapace.

"_Looks like the_ Nightmare Incarnate _had caught our assassin, locking him into a slumber of itself._" Puck noted.

Mirana's eyes widened when she heard Puck's assessment. "Is that why the nightmares came back?!"

"_That is why, yes._" Puck replied with a nod. "_Now, let us free him, shall we?_"

With a flick of a hand, Puck sent a tiny orb towards the assassin, whereupon it exploded into a ball of dust that covered it. The purple tendrils fizzled in pain before disappearing, setting the beetle free. It shook its abdomen and thorax in that order, before shaking its head to the direction of Mirana, nodding to itself.

"_Ah, the squishy being that Nyx had blessed._" it spoke, sending a jolt of pain to Mirana's head.

"_This assassin speaks telepathically, mortal._" Puck said with a smirk. "_Maybe I should have warned you about it._"

"Nah, don't worry about it." Mirana replied, still clutching the side of her head, understanding the futility of it. She turned her attention to the beetle that had approached her, nuzzling onto her thigh. "Wha, what happened to you?" she asked, trying her hardest not to blush from the contact. _damn my nudity._ she thought to herself.

The assassin looked up at her. "_The assassin cast is ashamed of its failure to dispose of the threat._" he says with a hint of disappointment.

"_Are you curious, mortal, to what extent Atropos' control over you own dreams?_" Puck said, interjecting between Mirana and the assassin.

Mirana was hesitant, fearful of what she was about to face, finally nodding to Puck. With a small gesture with all four arms, Puck casted the dust all around them, and soon the light purple colors started growing. And growing. Until the vast darkness of the purple nightmare covered them all except for a small bubble above them, the only white refuge in this dark void.

Sheer terror was now slowly engulfing Mirana, her eyes as wide as ever before and almost reeling from the truth of the corruption that her mind was in. She felt her knees weaken as the world around her got smaller. How could this be possible? How did she live through all of this? How much freedom did she actually have? All these questions were swirling around Mirana's mind as she clutched her head, feeling it pulsing with pain as it sent her to the ground in tears.

And then in a burst of white heat, it all dissipated. She looked up wondering what had happened when her head bump into the assassin's, its constant chittering drawing all her attention to it. She noticed some sort of blue flame was emitting from its head, flowing towards her.

"_Clear your mind, fleshy being._" the assassin assured her, allowing Mirana to use his carapace to stand up. "_The nightmare approaches._"

"_Yes, mortal. Atropos draws near from our trivial activities._" Puck noted, spreading the wings the were dormant from before, now floating even higher.

And although her mind had been cleared, she can still feel the weight of Atropos' presence nearing them, closing in around the small protective bubble that was their only shield against the nightmare. Huge wide grins then appeared all over, its maniacal laughers filling the air as it worked its way to drive them off the slippery edge. Mirana would've fallen herself if it weren't for the Puck and the assassin protecting her.

One of the grins approached the bubble, hands forming to place itself on their shield. The grin itself was now plastered as well, with Atropos' true appearance forming right in front of their eyes.

"_Ah, **Mirana**_." it called out to her, scratching on the surface of the bubble. "_You have brought more **friends** to play?"_

Mirana shuddered, trying to gather up what little strength she had to fight this monster that had plagued her for years. "I'm not afraid of you, Atropos!" she said, though her shaking demeanor and the cracks in her voice made it hard to be convincing.

The maniacal cackle that she was used to hearing filled the bubble, as the Nightmare Incarnate was now clutching its fingers onto the shield. "_Oh, I will **enjoy** this, sweet **Mirana**_." he said menacingly, running his tongue over his lips as he did so.

"_Prepare yourself, mortal,_" Puck warned her, as the crystal from the assassin's back elongated to face Atropos. "_We are about to face it._"

Mirana looked back at Atropos, seeing the bubble slowly crack away under the pressure of its touch. She looked back at the assassin, and then Puck, gulping down as she took in what was really about to happen to them. She nodded to Puck, holding onto the alien-creature's right hands.

Puck waved onto the bubble, the glitter of dust encasing them. With one more glance to Mirana, Puck spoke to her. "_And please, I am no alien. I am a faerie._"

With one last command, the protective bubble broke.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

man, there's been nothing but cliffhangers for the past few chapters, it's crazy!

hope you guys enjoyed this one! and my inspiration for Puck's form is this: zummeng deviantart com / art / Humanized-puck-394035103

really cool.

thanks again for reading!


	52. Abrupt Awakening

**Abrupt Awakening**

While the manager of the Dark Moon was a little preoccupied with the unseen turmoil going on inside her own mind, her friends slash coworkers and boss were watching over her unconscious form, laid atop one of the tables. Puck's small body was as difficult for them to handle, as the little girl simply sat herself at the head of the table so she could press her palms onto the sides of Mirana's head, instantly falling into a deep slumber of her won the moment she connected their foreheads.

Selemene had her arms crossed over her chest, standing over the two sleeping girls with her foot tapping sporadically. There was a flat, empty expression over her face as she eyed them, yet each time she made eye contact with any of her employees, she would give them her trademark soft, motherly smile along their way, to assure them that nothing was wrong.

Sylla was at the opposite side of the table from Selemene, reading a book written in some sort of ancient scripture. He would at times glace at Mirana, giving a silent prayer to the younger woman before returning to the book.

Lanaya sat on an empty seat beside the young dream weaver that was helping them, making sure that neither Puck nor Mirana was uncomfortable. Sometime's she'd get reassuring pats on her back by Magina, who was pacing himself around the tense room. _Looks like he's the one that needs a few pats on the back._ Lanaya thought ironically.

At the barista's station sat the baker, dirtying the counter as she kneaded the dough, keeping her mind out of the current distress that filled them. Of course she had Luna's permission to use this particular spot; there was no way the older woman would just allow anyone to disrupt her spot and get off scot free. Shendel sat at the other side of the counter, her gaze fixated on the dough as she sipped the caffeinated beverage in her hand. She just sat there, her thoughts at times treading to their unconscious manager, or where the barista had disappeared off to the moment she handed Shendel the drink. Luna was definitely nowhere near them, and it somewhat concerned her. Although Luna and Mirana didn't have the best of relationships (and much to the relief of the others, they had softened up), she kind of expected to at least be standing watch over the room, in her usual hard and stoic gaze.

"So how's Elodie?" Mortred queried as she kneaded still, bringing Shendel out of her reverie. "I thought she'd still be around you."

Shendel was a bit caught off guard by the question, swallowing the drink before she proceeded to answer. "She's doing fine, actually. She went to help the Broodmother Foundation."

For a second there was a brief spark that lit in Mortred's eyes. "Oh yeah! I forgot she had a friend there."

A dark chuckle escaped Mortred's breath, somewhat disconcerting Shendel. "What's so funny?" she asked her.

"Oh, nothing." Replied Mortred, who rolled her eyes upon seeing Shendel's unamused gaze, nudged by the silent action. "It's just that, I remember the 'Broodmother' always coming at odds with my 'sisters'."

A worried expression took its place on Shendel's face when she heard Mortred explain what she meant. "Will they be alright? Should I be worried?" she prodded.

"Oh I'm pretty sure they're fine, Shen." Mortred told her, still not feeling assured. "I can't speak of her children, but I'm sure she can still kick ass, even at her age if she wanted to. She's almost like Luna in fact."

"Really?" Shendel asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes. Arachnia was around longer, but both her and Luna shared the same amount of notoriety." Mortred explained. "The only difference was Arachnia would often come out looking for us 'Sisters', just to liberate the little girls we abducted."

Shendel's eyes widened slightly with apprehension. "I forgot the 'Sisters' did that. Did you ever do that?"

"No." Mortred answered, shaking her head. "I was raised to know how to handle a blade, not to entice children." Mortred sighed, uncomfortable the subject as she waved her hand in front of Shendel. "Don't think too much on it, okay? All I was saying is that I'm sure Elodie's fine in their hands."

"If you say so." Shendel said as she relented, trusting Mortred's half-assed, if slightly biased judgment despite still looking unconvinced.

"Besides," Mortred continued. "We have much more pressing matters to think of right now." She nudged her brow to their manager, still in a deep slumber.

Shendel turned on her stool so she could get a better look on what was happening. "What's going on, anyway? They just came bursting in."

"I don't know. All I know is that it involves the only thing that Luna would openly help Mirana with."

"But they've been pretty alright with each other for the past few months." Shendel stated.

Mortred simply shook her head. "I'm talking about way long before we worked here Shen." Mortred stopped what she was doing, gazing to the back of Shendel's head. "A time where anything and everything Mirana did got on Luna's nerves."

Shendel nodded, but made no attempt to turn back to Mortred. Seeing this, Mortred sighed before she took she took the dough in hand and made her way towards her kitchen. The room was now missing two people, with the baker continuing her day and the barista still nowhere to be seen.

"She's been out for an hour." Lanaya commented to herself. "This is getting crazy."

A light scoff came from Magina. "More like an hour and a half." He said shakily.

Lanaya felt a hand fall on her shoulder, halting her response towards Magina. She turned and looked up to see Selemene staring at her. "Don't worry guys. People usually sleep around seven hours a day, so this shouldn't be a problem."

"But this isn't normal. She just went out when Puck touched her head." Lanaya said worryingly, her own hand running up and down Puck's back. "And now this girl's also out, it's taking too long."

"Don't worry, Lanaya. If anybody can help Mirana, it's Puck." She said with a genuine smile. "Even when she was even younger, we all knew that Puck had some connection with dreams."

"Who's 'we'?" Magina asked behind them.

Without looking, Selemene brought her other hand around Magina's neck, bringing the waiter closer to her. She looked down and smile, seeing him struggling under her grasp. "A few people in my circle, Magi. Sylla happens to be one of them."

A grunt from the old custodian confirmed the statement. Upon being released, Magina gasped for air, his face beet red from his boss' hold and from where his face ended up. He shook himself before addressing the others once more. "That doesn't really tell me much, 'Mene. What's wrong with Mirana, anyway, that you needed this kid for help?"

Lanaya rolled her eyes at the question, and giggled when she heard Selemene chuckle behind her. "You wouldn't believe it even if I showed you what was happening to her, Magi." The older woman told him.

"No, but seriously, this seems like a big deal." Shendel said as she joined the conversation from where she sat. "What's really going on? And why were we never told of it?"

"To be fair, this coffee shop is kind of built on secrets, Shendel." Lanaya said as she turned to face the waitress, who was now frowning. The chuckle from Selemene deepened it. "I'm not even supposed to know."

"Were you eavesdropping, as _usual_?" Shendel said accusingly. Lanaya opened her mouth to respond, but stopped when she couldn't deny the fact.

"Hm, now that I think about it, I don't remember telling you about Mirana's problem." Selemene said as she wrapped her arms around Lanaya's neck, planting her chin on the part-timer's head. "How _did_ you come to know of it?"

Lanaya felt her cheeks warm up as all eyes were now her, and she could tell Shendel was enjoying it from the knowing smirk she ha. "I, uh… actually _was_ eavesdropping, when Mirana came to Luna's apartment late at night."

Magina chuckled at her excuse. "Wow, something _is_ wrong with you." He commented, earning a glare from the part-timer.

"_Nothing_ is wrong with me." She retaliated with a little bit of venom. "I'm just a curious person."

"_Sure_." he responded, rolling his eyes at her. His features tensed as he looked to Selemene once more. "But come on, 'Mene. What's wrong with Mirana?"

The heard the older woman sigh, still clinging onto the part-timer. "It's Atropos, kids." She said matter-of-factly, feeling the part-timer under her tense. She let Lanaya out of her grasp to face the bewildered Shendel and furrowed look of Magina, no doubt the two of them finding the truth hard to belive.

"Come on, 'Mene. Quit pulling our legs." He responded with a nervous chuckle, but the glare she sent his way made him regret those words.

"This is why neither her, Luna, nor myself have bothered you all with the story." She continued. "It is an absurd tale that not many believe."

"I still don't really believe in it, but we can't just mull around while she's suffering." Both Magina and Shendel's attention fell on Lanaya as she uttered those words. "Luna and 'Mene try their hardest to help her, so I think we all should follow behind them."

A look of guilt briefly flashed before them, Magina especially for thinking he might have offended the unconscious manager. He looked around the room desperately searching for something to change the subject. Then his eyes lit up. "Uh, you know, speaking of Luna, where is she, anyway?"

Eyes fell on him for a brief moment before falling on Selemene, all curious for the answer that had barely entered their minds. Seeing this, she sighed, patting her sides before addressing them. "Luna is off in an, _important_, task." She looked down at her watch. "Hopefully, she'll be back in a few minutes."

Shendel sighed, having some sort of closure. "Well, at least tha-"

"She's moving."

Sylla's first words to the room had shaken them, now already standing over Mirana, his hands already on her shoulder. They could see Mirana slowly stirring. The smiled in relief before noticing Puck was squirming in her own slumber. Sylla braced the manager's arm and shoulder, holding her in place with Selemene doing the same.

"Hold her down!" she ordered them, leading Magina and Shendel scurrying to Mirana's legs as the sleeping manager started to convulse.

It started gradually, from her fingers and toes, and slowly moved to her arms and legs. It wasn't long till Mirana started spasming out of control, only being held by the Dark Moon people, with Lanaya holding onto Puck as the little girl started convulsing on her own. The movements of her arm and legs struck the table and they to held them in place, the loud commotion causing Mortred to leave the kitchen to try and help in whatever way she could. It left her holding down the manager's torso with her own body.

"Hold on, Mirana! Just a few more seconds, please!" Selemene cried, for the first time the pain audible in her voice.

This time Mirana screamed, the cry of pain piercing the hearts of the others in the room. Like a banshee's screeching, their ears almost shattering from the sheer volume of it. It frightened them, seeing Mirana, the Dark Moon's manager, who would usually have a smile on her face to brighten their day, now screaming as if she were near death's door.

That was when they realized something off; for the first time there was a purple hue that enveloped her body. The drool that escaped her was also the darkest color of purple they've seen. Both Shendel and Magina's hold faltered for a brief moment from the sight, yet this was enough for them to be pushed off when one of Mirana's violent spasms sent them to the ground. Shendel froze, seeing the horror before her eyes while Magina got himself up, securing Mirana's legs on his own.

Their desperate cries of reassurances, for all they knew, fell on deaf ears, but it was the only thing that kept them from giving up on their manager and the little girl that was helping them. They called out to her, telling her to hold on, to know that they'll be there for her when she wakes up, that everything will be alright. Through her struggles, that she was not alone. Yet every word they uttered, somehow it only made her struggle even harder. The apex of whatever was going on inside her dreams was almost over, and it was now or never. They held her down, bracing for the impact. Then at that moment, it all exploded.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHH"

They all stood back, seeing Mirana sit up on the table, her breathing slowing down as she took drawn out breaths, her gaze looking at nothing. She brought her hands before her face, inspecting the purple haze that was slowly was dissipating from her body. As it disappeared, she looked around the room, her eyes falling on the others one by one. Selemene approached the waking woman, reaching out with her hand, but Mirana flinched, afraid of the touch. Selemene didn't falter, as she brought the manager to a tight embrace, letting Mirana rest on her bosom.

"'Me… 'Mene?" Mirana asked tearfully, still weary of her surroundings.

"It's okay, Mirana. We're all right here." Selemene said, as she calmed the manager down, patting her head comfortingly.

"I'm sorry, aunt 'Mene." They turned to face Puck who had just woken up too, clinging tightly to Lanaya. "I tried my hardest, but the purple nightmare was too strong." She said, her voice filled with sheer terror.

"Its okay, Puck." Selemene said, using her free hand pat her in the head. "You tried your best, and at least Mirana's still safe and sound."

Silence filled the room, all of them either not wanting to utter a single word, or unable to, as they ponder on what the next step was. Mortred helped Shendel up off the ground, with Magina making his way toward the manager to apologize, but was halted by Sylla, holding him in place with a stern look. Both Selemene and Lanaya comforting the two that had just woken up.

"Whe-, where's Luna?" Mirana asked, earning a motherly smile from Selemene.

"She'll be back in a moment." She replied. "I had her run an errand for you when she dropped you off."

Mirana looked up to her boss, confused at her words. "For, me? What do you mean?"

"Oh, you're awake." All heads turned to face Luna, who just entered the front doors. She scanned the room, earning the wandering gaze of her peers, no doubt curious to where she's been. She only answered them with a smirk as she made her way to the manager.

"Hey, princess." She called out, but got only Mirana's lifeless gaze staring back at her. Luna sighed, seeing the state Mirana was in. "Hey, _Mirana_." That got the manager's attention, her eyes wavering at Luna calling her by her name without a hint of venom. "We have someone here that wants to talk to you."

The door opened as if on cue, Luna moving aside to show who had arrived, the knowing smirk still thrown Mirana's way as she slowly moved her gaze from the barista to the person that had just entered the coffee shop. Her eyes widened, tears straining them as she tried to make her way towards the figure but was held back by Selemene.

"Oh honey, looks like you've been through a lot." came the voice of her elderly counterpart.

"Mo… mother?" Selemene retreated as she gave the manager time with her mother, also with tears straining her eyes.

Her mother closed the distance between them, holding Mirana's hands with her own. Both of them struggling with words at the tip of their tongues, unable to voice their emotions. They were lost in their own words that they didn't even realize Luna's hands on their shoulders.

"Your parents would like a tour of the city." Luna said, knocking them out of their reverie.

"Fa… father is here as well?" Mirana asked them, her mother only nodding with the softest smile she's seen.

"His in your car, too tired to walk." Luna told her. Carefully, she wrapped her arms around the manager, picking her up without warning. "Let's go. 'Mene told me my job today was to be your driver for the day, and I don't have all day, so stop crying."

Without another word, Luna led them out, leaving the rest of the Dark Moon to ponder on what had just transpired with a bewildered look on their faces (barring Selemene and Sylla themselves.)

Selemene sighed, ignoring the stares she had gotten before turning to face Puck, still tired from her ordeals. "What happened, Puck?"

Puck shook her head, the memories of what had happened still fresh in her mind. "We couldn't stop it, aunt 'Mene. It was too strong."

"How will Mirana fare?"

Puck drew her gaze from Selemene's. "She tried her bestest, with us helping, but it will be hard for her." A look of determination flashed before Puck's eyes, surprising everyone. "But I won't go home until **it **is gone."

"That's a difficult road, Puck." Selemene warned her. "We don't want Atropos to get to you too." She picked up Puck in her arms, freeing Lanaya of her burden. "Plus, you still have school. Don't tell me you're just gonna skip it like that?"

Puck shook her head vehemently. "Not until she's free."

Puck's pout stopped Selemene from replying, instead sighing as she held the little girl in her arms. "I guess I'll call your mom about it, huh?" Puck nodded, this time with a childish smile.

"So, uh, anybody going to explain what just happened here?" Magina said, the recent events simply flashing before him.

"Maybe over some bread and tea?" Lanaya offered.

"Great timing, I had a fresh batch just finish!" Mortred said as she made her way to the kitchen.

Shendel opened her mouth to speak, but was stopped when she felt Sylla hold her wrist. "Ya all will know in time." He announced to the room. "Fer now, let's just enjoy the fact that Mirana's still here."

Shendel looked at Magina, who was still unsure himself, before the both of them turned to the oldest duo, nodding at them as they trusted their judgment. Lanaya sighed with relief, happy that things would hopefully calm down as she started on the tea.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

i apologize for this absurdly late chapter guys. for the rest of the week, i was preoccupied with a game i just installed (MASSIVE CHALICE, for those curious), so i only wrote drafts on my phone (most of the time i was unhappy with how they turned out.)

so, i hope this one turned out well, for all of us!

thanks for reading (and hopefully understanding)!


	53. Dark Moon's Respite

**Dark Moon's Respite**

The clock ticked in the darkened quiet apartment, the only light coming from the moon that shone through the open doors to the balcony. A comfortable, if eerie silence filled the atmosphere was slowly broken as the sound of water running coming from the corridor. Soon the silence took its place again, the closing of a door followed by footsteps accompanying it. The barista appeared in the room, drying her hair with a towel as she made her way towards her kitchen, pouring a quick glass of juice. She downed the whole drink in one go before pouring herself another one and making her way towards the empty sofa.

A knock came from the door just before she sat down, cursing at whoever was knocking at this ungodly hour. She set the glass down on the table, stretching her body before making her way towards the door.

"Mortred, you already have your own key. Stop with this knocking nonsense." Luna said as she opened the door, but what stunned in silence when she got a good look of who it was that knocked.

It was none other than the Queen herself, with a little girl no older than six years old asleep in her arms. "Hey Luna, spare a minute?" she said, making her way inside without the barista's consent.

Luna sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose as she berated herself for not reacting quicker. She peeked outside to the apartment halls, seeing a few of her fellow tenants glancing her way, no doubt wondering why the Queen was in their apartment. A few of them ducked out of her view, either not wanting to get caught staring or just uncomfortable under her hard gaze. She sighed before closing the door behind her, joining the Queen on the sofa as she set her daughter down on it.

"What are you doing here?" Luna asked with an unamused tone. The Queen covered her daughter in the blanket that was nearby, before picking up the glass of juice, glancing at Luna with a teasing smirk.

"I was just passing by, Luna. Thought I'd drop by for a glass. No harm done." Akasha told her, drinking Luna's juice.

Luna glared at the Queen, still annoyed by her presence. "How'd you even get this address, anyway?"

She held the glass, swirling the contents around as she thought of an answer. "Well, I asked the Guard Captain, ever since you asked for my help a month ago."

Luna groaned, facing the ceiling with her palm covering her face. "Damn her." She cursed, mostly to herself.

"So, are you gonna put on a shirt or something?" the Queen asked out of the blue.

Luna looked down on herself, forgetting that she had not put on a clean shirt after her shower, opting to simply go around in her blue shorts as she toweled her hair. The towel itself was still around her neck, dangling over her shoulders. She looked back at Akasha, seeing the Queen give her a sultry look, which Luna responded with rolling her eyes.

"Not gonna bother. We're all women here anyway, so I doubt your kid's got a problem with it." Luna told her, taking the glass out of the Queen's hands so she could drink it for herself.

"Still not one to care about trivial matters, huh?" Akasha stated, with Luna nodding along. She settled with the silence that Luna gave her, understanding the barista was not one for idle banter unless she was the one that initiated. She looked into the darkened corridor that lead to Luna's room, hearing a distinct sound coming from it.

"You have someone over?" She asked Luna.

The barista stared back in shock, wondering how Akasha knew of her guest. Akasha gestured at her own ear, hinting Luna to do the same. Luna focused on her surroundings, taking her time till she heard a faint snore coming from her bedroom. She shook her head, mostly at herself.

"Yeah, someone who couldn't sleep alone tonight, after what happened." Luna explained, her face grim just thinking about it.

Akasha smiled, her gaze drifting over to her daughter's sleeping form. "Understandable. We wouldn't want the people important to us to suffer." She said as she tucked the little girl in.

They settled into the silence once more, with Luna mainly gazing out as the moonlight basked her in its majestic glow, while Akasha tended to her daughter. The only sound that that accompanied them was the faint snores of a certain manager and Akasha's own child. The room was like this for the next couple of minutes till the rattling of a doorknob disturbed it. Both women simply glanced at the door as the Dark Moon's baker entered the apartment.

"Hey, Luna, _désolé je suis en retard_. Had to make sure everyone got home safely." Mortred said as she made her way to sofas only to stop midway when she saw the Queen and a sleeping child on her makeshift bed.

"Mortred, we have a guest." Luna stated offhandedly.

Mortred was speechless; she wasn't expecting the Queen of all people to be in Luna's apartment. Akasha herself was stifling a giggle upon seeing the baker struggle at her presence. She patted at an empty spot beside her. "Come now, don't just stand there looking like a fool. Sit."

Her face flushed red in embarrassment, stuttering for words of gratitude before shifting her gaze from Akasha, simply making her way to the designated spot. Mortred could feel the stares of the older women, as if waiting for her to initiate the conversation. She glanced at Luna, only instead of the teasing look Akasha had, Luna held a stern gaze at her direction, as if waiting for whatever excuse Mortred had.

Thinking carefully, Mortred's thoughts went back to what she had been doing before. "I stuck around the Panda's Brew, waiting till Shendel and Magina could get up on their own."

"Why were you guys at Panda's Brew?" Luna asked.

"Well, we were still trying to process what 'Mene told us, you know. About Mirana." Mortred explained with a sheepish grin.

Luna held her gaze, making the baker uncomfortable. "And what did she tell you?"

Mortred shifted uncomfortably at her seat, not liking the impromptu interrogation she was getting. She heard Akasha giggle beside her, making her cheeks flush even redder. "Just, the… whole thing, on Atropos. And what she's been through. And what Puck's here for."

"So why are you so late?" Luna said, not shifting her gaze from the baker.

"Uhm, Magina got kinda low, when he realized how much of a dick he was to her problems." Mortred explained. "He just started drinking, and drinking. The rest of us; me, with Shen and Lanaya, we were so caught up in talking about things that we didn't even realize how much Magi was drinking."

Luna let out a breath of annoyance, wiping the imaginary sweat off her face. "You know he can't handle even an ounce of alcohol." She sighed, covering her mouth as her eyes were closed, holding in the inevitable stress. "What happened next?"

Mortred chuckled nervously, shifting her hair over her ear as she carefully treaded on. "Well, he got kinda a _bit_ rowdy." She told Luna. "We tried to get him up, but he started flailing about. He broke Lanaya's glass, shattering bits of it on her hand, and managed to smack Shen's face."

Luna's face scrunched up, expecting the events Mortred had told to happen. "And then?"

"The owner came up and slapped Magina's face really hard." Mortred said, holding back the giggles as she remembered the scene, but afraid of laughing seeing how serious Luna was. "Magina was out like a light bulb, and Shendel's sister came about, leaving both Lanaya and I to wait till he woke up."

"And he only woke up just recently?"

"You should've seen that guy's hand, Luna. It was big!" Mortred exaggerated, spreading her arms around.

Luna let out a tired sigh, wondering if Mortred had any better news. "Do you have anything better to tell me? What about your apartment? Whatever problem it had must be over by now, you've been here for five months."

Mortred's elated features fell as the subject that she's been evading for the past months finally caught Luna's attention. She could tell that Luna sensed her trepidation as the older woman eyed her carefully. She tried to come up with an excuse, maybe the actual reason, anything. Yet her tongue refused to cooperate, as she held her mouth open like a fool.

"What is it that you're not telling me, Mortred?" Luna asked once again, this time Mortred could feel the anger dripping.

Mortred stuttered, the words slowly piecing together to make something coherent. "I, uhm… you see, Luna." Mortred gulped, already feeling the older woman's ire. "My apartment… was fixed two months into my stay here."

Mortred, upon seeing Luna's face contort with anger, immediately brought her palms together, trying to calm the older woman. "_Pardonnez-moi_, Luna. I didn't tell you because I knew you'd get angry." Mortred said truthfully. "I just, loved living here. That's all. Please don't kick me out!"

Mortred just sat there with her eyes closed bracing of Luna's outburst, whatever it may be. She just prayed that it wouldn't leave her battered by the end of the day. Then she felt a hand patting her head, her eyes opening in shocked surprise. She looked up, with the hand still on her head, to see Luna's frowning annoyed expression.

"I don't care anymore." The older woman said flatly, Mortred smiling wide from just hearing those words. The she felt the hand on her head gripping tightly, and before she knew it, she was thrown to Akasha's side of the sofa, the Queen catching her as if anticipating Luna's actions. "I just wished you would've told me. I'd need to speak to my landlord about having a permanent roommate." Luna said, still not pleased with the current state of things as she held her fist back.

Mortred could only laugh nervously, still happy with the outcomes. Then she jerked when she felt the Queen's hand grace her thigh, moving immediately to create space between the both of them. Akasha simply laughed at Mortred's reactions, yet not as rambunctious for fear of waking up her daughter.

"You sure have made some _interesting_ companions, Luna." Akasha remarked, settling her leg over the other. "Are you sure, there isn't any room left?" she asked expectantly.

"For what?" Luna asked, raising an eyebrow at the unexpected question.

Akasha merely gave Luna a knowing look, sending shivers down the barista's spine and causing her cheeks to redden slightly. "You're a married woman, Akasha. Stop enticing people for your own weird needs."

"Oh, come now, Luna. You know that's not what I'm talking about." Akasha said, scolding the barista with her usual teasing smirk.

Luna sighed. She did know what Akasha meant, but like Mortred before, she didn't want to touch the subject. She glanced at Mortred, seeing the barista shifting her gaze between herself and Akasha, waiting to see how things unfold in front of her.

Luna finally conceded, looking directly at Akasha's eyes. "Sure, there's room."

The sultry look disappeared from Akasha's face, replaced with one of genuine joy, covering her eyes to hold back the tears. Mortred didn't know what was happening between the two, but she was at least happy that it ended on a good note. (at least, that's what she hoped when she saw what she thought were tears of joy.)

"Mommy?"

All heads turned to the stirring form of the child that had woken up, rubbing her eyes as she looked up at her mother. "Why are you crying?"

"Oh, no reason." Akasha replied, picking her daughter up.

The little girl looked around the room, eyeing the other two suspiciously. "Why is that lady not wearing anything?" she pointed at Luna, who still only had a towel over her shoulders.

Akasha laughed, especially seeing Luna's unfazed stature while her new official roommate looked lost between all things. "That's the lady I told you of, Nikka."

"Hm?" Nikka's gaze went back to her mother's before falling on Luna's figure again. "The one you played with?"

If it weren't for the sofas they were sitting, both Mortred and Luna would've fallen on their rears upon the little monarch's words. Akasha could see their expressions clearly, laughing at them in spite. "Yes, the one I played with! Remember her name?" Akasha said, moving to Luna's side as she handed the little girl to Luna.

With little Nikka in her arms, Luna exchanged glances with the little monarch. The little girl, looking like a tinier version of Akasha, staring directly into her soul, laid her head on Luna's shoulder. "Aunt Luna." She said out of the blue. Luna could feel her cheeks warm up, never having this warm of a reception from a child before. The wide soft smiles of Akasha and Mortred made the barista fluster, unused to this type of attention.

"You're warm, aunt Luna." The little monarch said, almost clutching Luna's bare chest. At this, any sort of false shame or embarrassment flushed out of Luna.

"Just like you." She replied to Nikka, who smiled into Luna's body.

"Okay, it's time to go home." Akasha declared as she took Nikka out of Luna's arms. "We don't want to disturb aunt Luna anymore, do we? You've had your rest anyway." Nikka shook her head as she settled into her mother's arms.

They moved themselves outside the apartment, Luna and Mortred bidding the monarchs farewell. Akasha gave them a brief wave of parting, while Nikka waved onward as they made their away farther down the corridor. It wasn't till they disappeared down the stairway did Luna and Mortred reenter the apartment.

Luna let out a tired sigh, leaning on the door and slowly letting herself down to the floor. Mortred could understand, seeing Luna go through emotions she wasn't used to in such a short time.

"Have you ever felt this?" Luna asked, halting whatever Mortred was thinking.

"Uhm, sure. Kinda." Mortred answered. "I mean, we _were_ raised as 'sisters', you know, so it's no surprise that we'd feel closer to each other."

"Is that why you're hesitant to raise a hand, if you're to meet them again?" Luna said, more so as a statement than a question.

Mortred nodded, not bothering herself to answer with words as she helped Luna up off the ground. With the apartment returning to the silence as it was before, Mortred finally heard the light snores coming from Luna's bedroom. She eyed the older woman, who knew immediately what Mortred was thinking.

"Tomorrow we're waking up early." She told the baker. "You'll make her food and I'll make her drinks."

But that wasn't the problem Mortred was thinking. "So you'll be bunking with me, huh?"

Luna lightly knocked Mortred on her head for her insolence, dragging the younger woman to the empty sofas so they could officially end their hectic day.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

well, a short respite indeed.

gonna take a break, just to ease my mind so i can gather my creativity again, and also to catch up on things i've missed, like games or school.

hope you guys enjoyed this! thanks for reading!


	54. Four Corners of Heroes Lane

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

this chapter is dedicated to the late Monty Oum, of Rooster Teeth, who died of a fatal allergic reaction around last week.

i know, he has nothing to do with Dota 2, but being an admirer of what he does, i wanted to honor him in some way. hope you guys don't mind.

* * *

**Four Corners of Heroes Lane**

Heavy panting filled the empty morning air, a fit looking woman dressed in cyan and orange jogged through the lane, nearing the end of her route. A routine that lasted a little over an hour for the woman since she started before the break of dawn, her plan on finishing her run before the public started filing in Heroes Lane ended with a success as she slowed her trek down to a fast walking pace.

She eased her breathing as she stopped to scan her surroundings, searching for a spot to rest. She smiled inwardly when she got what she was looking for; a bench only occupied by a short raggedy looking man. She calmly made her way towards it, excusing herself as she sat beside the man.

She brought out a bottle of water, taking a little swig as she eyed the man next to her. She took notice of the man's features, seeing his white, bushy beard and pale skin. He wore thick, green tinted glasses that almost covered most of his face. His dirty clothing had tears and holes, with a long brown piece of cloth he used to cover his head, tying it around his neck. The man also had a peculiar looking walking stick beside him.

The man turned his head, facing her as she capped the lid on the bottle. He smirked, showing a toothy grin at her. "Weather ain't too cold for ya?" he asked her.

She raised a brow at him, not at all expecting anything. "It was, when I arrived earlier." She answered, sensing no hostility. "A good run always warms me up."

"I could ask the same to you." She retaliated. "We have many places that you can go for shelter. You look like you're freezing."

"Nah." Came his answer, waving off her concern. "But's nice seein' the Guard Captain care, yea?"

"Oh, you recognized me?" she replied, her voice laid with a hint of surprise. She hardly, if ever, got any familiar glances unless she was in her uniform.

"Nothin' gets past these keen eyes of mine." The man said as he adjusted his glasses, snickering all the while. "Stressed out more than ever, hm?"

"You noticed?" Slithice didn't bother denying that the stress the case she's been keeping an eye on; it was one of the reasons why she's been spending most of her mornings in Heroes Lane for the past month.

"Yea, always lookin' angry, and so focused in runnin'." The man nodded, mostly to himself as he leaned on his stick.

"You're not from here, are you?" Slithice asked curiously. She'd rather steer away from being reminded of the case, instead focusing on the man's odd accent. "The way you talk, it's a bit different from around here."

"Hehe, you can tell too?" the man scratched the back of his head, bashfully looking away from her. "Yea, well, I'm just an illegal immigrant, trying to find a nice place to sleep."

"Wow, you're actually telling me this?" Slithice responded, surprised by the man's answer.

"You seem like an understanding person, Guard Captain." He said, once again showing his toothy grin.

"So why are yo-"

"Help! Thief!" the Guard Captain was cut off by the sound of a woman wailing for help. Both the man and she turned to see a shifty looking man clutching a purse in his hands as he ran farther away from the woman that cried for help.

"Damn it!" Slithice cursed, standing up and prepared herself to chase after the man, but a hand held her in place. She turned to see the man with a grin wider than ever.

Slithice was about to protest, wanted to berate the man for impeding from doing her job, but held her tongue when he brought his stick up and aimed it at the thief. It was at this moment that Slithice just noticed there was a trigger on the stick, her eyes widening at the revelation of the stick not actually being just a simple walking stick. His grin widened as he lined up his shot, and pulled the trigger.

Before Slithice could even react, the sound of gunshot rang through her ear followed by the man crying out "Boom!" staggering her back to the bench. With a hand on the armchair, she turned to find the thief now staggering on the ground, clutching his gored hand as it bled all over him. The man that had fired the shot was already heading towards the thief, comforting the woman on the way. Slithice shook her head, getting the ringing to stop before joining the man.

The scene was settled within the hour, the thief carted out by the paramedics that were called to it. The woman was extremely grateful, if a little frightened, for the man's timely shot. Slithice assured the City Guards that came to the scene that she would handle the man, leaving another "case" in her hands as she ushered them out of the park as the few arriving lookers were turned away.

She ended up even more exerted than she had planned, leaving her track jacket open so she could try to feel the cold that she was supposed to feel. She went back towards the bench, the man still sitting in the same position as if waiting for her. He even patted the empty spot, signaling her to join him again. She did exactly that.

"I just realized who you are." She stated, earning _another_ snicker that was slowly getting on her nerves. "_Sharpeye_. The renowned Knollen Sniper from the war." The man reacted with his signature grin, not displaying an ounce of hostility at her direction. "I remember, as a child, reading how _Sharpeye_ had felled many of our own nation's troops."

"Gehehe, yeap! That's me!" he bashfully admitted. "But people mostly call me 'Kardel', Guard Captain. Nice to meet 'cha." He tipped his head as he introduced himself.

"Why are you here?" she asked curiously. "I thought someone like you would be celebrated in Knollen."

"Eh, not really. They convicted me as a war criminal." He replied, shrugging her question in stride. "Some sympathizers helped smuggle me out, and it lead me here."

"How come? I'm sure you did a lot during the war."

"I know. Was just doin' my job as a soldier." He told her, his tone not changing one bit. "Funny, 'more recognized for my actions here, by the people we were at war with, than back at Knollen."

"Well then you **have** to at least stay at one of the shelters." Slithcie reasoned. "You can't just slum it here."

"Can' I?" he said, as if challenging the Guard Captain. "Heroes Lane's the home for heroes! I'm at the right place!"

"But we still can't have some vigilante running rampant down the lanes." Slithice explained, hoping the subtle threat in her words would usher him towards her suggestion. It didn't work.

"Don' worry. Only fired this thrice!" he said, gesturing his makeshift stick-rifle. "Only have 9 more. Can' waste 'em all now, can' I?"

Slithice shook her head, slightly distressed at how her efforts in this trivial issue were not bearing fruit, but the light smile on her face showed that she was amused by his quirky, if slightly grating personality. She sighed defeatedly, standing up from the bench. The man looked at her with a flat confused expression. She met his gaze with a smile.

"Well then I guess I have to check up on you once in a while, to make sure nothing weird's up." She told him, leaving him to go about her day.

"Hehe, see ya 'round, Guard Captain!" the Knollen Sniper said chipperly, bidding the Guard Captain farewell.

She set off, heading further down the lane in hopes to leave the park before the cold will settle in her again. The sweat that had covered her from her morning run; and the exertion of dealing with the thief earlier; had slowly left her freezing. She rubbed her shoulders, wishing she had brought thicker and warmer outer wear. Just as she was contemplating choices in hindsight, she felt a warm jacket wrap itself around her. She looked down, seeing its blue color as she felt a warm arm drape around her shoulders.

"Not interested in a man's warmth?" Slithice giggled upon hearing the former menace's voice, tightening the barista's blue jacket around her.

"You're one to talk, Luna. In fact, I've never seen you interested even in a _woman's_ touch." Slithice countered, earning a scoff from the slightly older woman.

"Not interested. It's all a waste of time." Luna replied with a huff. It always surprised Slithice, how someone like Luna doesn't have a significant other, or at least a more outgoing sex life after learning of her history with their infamous Queen.

Slithice turned to formally greet the barista, but gasped in an exaggerated shock when she noticed Luna only wore a blue tank top that hugged her figure. "Luna! Why aren't you wearing anything? It's freezing out here!" the Guard Captain berated.

"Says the person jogging with less." The barista countered, looking pleased upon Slithice's reddening face. "And besides, you're wearing my jacket right now. It's obvious why I'm wearing nothing."

Slithice rolled her eyes, knowing full well that she lost. Instead, she opted to change the subject altogether. "Why are you here, Luna?" She started. "I thought you'd spend your winter mornings in your apartment."

"Keeping an eye on a friend's younger sister." She told her. "She's helping the 'Broodmother Foundation' with something here." Slithice nodded, seemingly pleased with the answer. "And somewhere down the line, a sneaky street cat told me you're having trouble dealing with the case."

Slithice could feel her own body tense, and she knew that Luna could feel it too. She turned to meet the barista's concerned gaze. _Huh, funny._ she thought, when just a little over a decade ago, tthat very same gaze was instead filled with hostile tranquil rage. How a former menace to society, one of the most feared people, ended up being one of her most trusted people, she'll never know. She looked around their environment briefly, before pulling Luna out of the lane, leading them towards one of the Protector's smaller trees.

"The higher-ups keep on holding me from finishing the case." She confided. "It's like they're going out of their way to make sure this case goes untouched. They're either afraid of what we might uncover, or they themselves are involved. I don't like either possibilities, Luna."

"Aren't you pushing yourself too hard with this?" Luna asked her. "All of this might not end well for you. And I'm **not** talking about the _Marauder_."

"I know, I know! But I can't just let this all go!" Slithice gathered herself after her abrupt outburst, before continuing on. "And even when I make some headway on it, it's almost never worth it."

"What happened with trying to get Angelo's help?"

Slithice scoffed, reacting as if that was the most absurd thing she's ever heard. "I tried. But his people wouldn't even let me near him. Always spouting some bullshit excuse on how he's 'too busy' or something like that."

Luna sighed, palming her face exasperatedly at what she had decided to do. She grabbed Slithice's hand by the wrist, dragging the shorter woman along with her.

"Eh, Luna? What are you doing?" Slithice said, struggling under Luna's hold.

"I know someone who might help you out." Luna explained. "I don't know if she's around though, but she's usually is."

_Somewhere Down the Lane_

A perky redhead felt her spine shiver, wondering if her warm, fluffy green jacket provided enough warmth. She rubbed her body just for a moment, making sure that nothing was wrong with the fabric. When she felt it was in fact efficient, she got off the bench, stretching her body as wide as she could while yawning all the while before she made her move, subtly tailing a certain scarred, red-coated man.

She was careful with every step, making sure the dangerous man she was following was not suspicious of her. Of course, that was not an easy task, when the small wildlife of Heroes Lane would approach her, oblivious to her true intentions. She tried ignoring them at first, and shooing them away when that didn't work. Of course, she wouldn't be known as the 'Enchantress' if she barely even glanced at the cute critters, so it came to no surprise to anyone who knew her that she'd end up crouching on the ground, playing with the squirrels and the birds.

Her eyes widened when she realized the mistake she made thanks to her lapse in judgment. _Damn it._ she thought, as she stood with a few squirrels lingering in her arms and a pigeon resting in her hair. She ushered them away, moving to search desperately for the man that had escaped her eyes. She cursed to herself, throwing a fit uncharacteristic of a woman her age.

"What's wrong, Ench?"

_Eep!_ Aiushtha turned on her heel to come face to face with one of Selemene's trusted, along with someone she doesn't know (though she has seen that person before.)

"Luna, hehe. How you doing?" she responded sheepishly. Noticing the other person's suspicious glare, she put on her façade for them. "Anything new with 'Mene? How's Nova?"

"Cut the chat, _Enchantress_. The Guard Captain here needs your resources." Aiushtha's smile fell as the circumstances of her situation had become somewhat convoluted.

"She needs to get an audience with Angelo." At this, she was genuinely surprised. Luna would never associate with that man, even if it's only a slight connection.

"What for?" She asked them.

"It's not something we can talk so openly." The Guard Captain voiced with a mildly threatening tone.

Aiushtha gave them a smirk that seemed to annoy Luna, who seemingly knew what the vet was thinking. "My kerfuffle with him isn't as different as yours, Luna. After 'Mene got me out of that devil's clutch, I've never spoken to him since. And it's been **years**."

"But knowing you, it shouldn't be too hard to get back on track." Luna said, subtly complimenting Aiushtha's skills.

Of course, the vet didn't take it as that, despite her sunny smile. "I am never going back to that man, Luna. Just like you." She told them, unfazed by their stature. "But if you help me find a man I've been tailing, then I can set the Guard Captain down the path she so desires."

Although the Guard Captain was confused by her words, Luna replied with a smirk of her own. "Alright, show us the way."

"Great!" came her perky reply. "He's walking, so he shouldn't be that far off."

"Who is it, that you're looking for, anyway?" the Guard Captain asked curiously.

Aiushtha turned to give the Guard Captain a knowing look. "Oh, nobody. Just an _Artist_."

_Even Further Down the Lane_

"A-a-a-are you re-really, an artist?"

"Oh, of course!" he replied to the shy painter, who couldn't stop shaking in his presence. He took her hand in his, moving down to kiss it. The woman's face ended up being a deep shade of red, but she was still deeply uncomfortable by the man's affection.

"Wha-, what do y-y-you do?" the painter asked him.

"Oh, _many_ things, love." He said, worming his way towards her. "I'm _especially_ an appreciator of the fine arts. And yours! Oh, truly, I can feel your very _soul_ coursing through the paint brush."

"B-b-b-b-but, I'm only a lowly st-st-student." She replied, trying her best to tug her hand away from him. He smirked into her hand, taking full delight at her squirming._Oh, I will **enjoy** this._ he told himself, already planning on how he'd savor the moment with his newest subject.

"I'd **love** to see you work. Why don't we find a nice secluded place, where we _both_ can admire your," he kissed her hand once more, feeling the young woman squirm. "**handiwork.**"

"**Nevermore!**" Upon hearing **that** woman's voice, all effort went to make sure that he didn't squeeze this painter's hand.

"I'm sorry, young lady, but I need to speak to him." The young painter nodded frantically as he was dragged away from her. She spent no time in running away from him as fast as she could.

He closed his eyes, unwilling to see the painter leave as well as containing himself, making sure that he doesn't cause an outburst. _Lucy wouldn't want that._ he reminded himself. He turned where he stood to come face to face to the bane of his existence. The Vet that once was held dearly by Angelo himself, standing on her toes right in front of him with a smug grin plastered on her face. A quick glanced showed that there were two other women behind her as well.

"Tread lightly, _woman_." he said through gritted teeth, pointing a finger directly at her chin. The fact that she was unfazed almost pushed him over the edge, and it took every ounce of him to not gut her right where she stood. "Angelo's order is absolute, but there is a **limit** a man can take."

"Oh, I'm _sure_." she replied, rolling her eyes at him fuming. "Who was that, by the way, hm? Ah, you know what? It doesn't matter." She said, waving him off before he could respond.

"What do you want?"

"Oh, someone wants something you can give."

Nevermore raised a curious brow. "Who? Blue Tits?" he gestured toward Luna, looking none too pleased by his nickname.

"You know, for someone who claims to be a 'poet', you sure don't have a knack for words." She teased.

"Oh, I **do**. But in case you hadn't noticed, I'm not in the best of moods right now."

"Relax, Nevermore." She said with her arms held up. "This won't take long."

At this, the woman that he now only recognized as the Guard Captain approached him, all the anger he held for the Vet seemingly disappearing from his system. He graced her with a comforting, if sinister smile; one that's not responded in kind.

"So we meet again." Sithice said, her voice laced with a teeny bit of venom.

"Ah, Guard Captain. A ray of _sunshine_ in this cold, dreary day." Nevermore brought his hand to her face, grazing her hair to the side so he could see her face. "Word has it, that you, are an _exceptional_ singer."

"I may have some formal training." She said, admitting to her less known talent, not letting the Artist see how surprised she actually was. "But I'm not here to indulge you in your perversions. **Especially** if it possibly leads to my untimely death."

"By all means, Guard Captain." He bowed, showing a surprising amount of respect to her. "How can I be of service?"

She drew a long, cold breath, before voicing her request. "I need to speak to Angelo. I require his assistance."

"That is an odd request. I'm guessing his men are making it hard on you?"

"Like you wouldn't believe."

Nevermore stood up, raising himself to his full height as he towered over the three women. He straightened his jacket, glancing at his phone for a brief moment. "That doesn't sound too difficult."

"You're oddly cooperative, Nevermore."

He chuckled, finding amusement at her bewilderment. "That's because you're not after my own hide. I have no reason to fear you now, least of all close off any assistance."

The sound of a phone ringing paused their discussion, as they looked down to see Nevermore's phone. He glanced at it, his face neutral, before staring back at the three women. "I'll be sure to tell Angelo that you'd like to talk."

With that, Nevermore made himself scarce, leaving them standing where they were. "Tell the Lieutenant I said hi!"

Slithice couldn't help but chuckle, remembering how much Slardar hated the Artist, thanks to how hellish their time was during that horrendous case. If anything, at least things are now heading her way to the right direction.

"You should be careful, Guard Captain." Aiushtha said out of the blue. "This is a dimly lit path that you're crossing, and you might lose your way."

"Or worse." Luna added.

"I know." She sighed, knowing how heavy the case is. She turned to Luna with a tired smile. "Hey, if all goes to hell… Can I work at Dark Moon?"

Luna smirked at the odd request, while the Enchantress giggled. "That's up to 'Mene. But if that time comes, I'll vouch for you."

"Thanks, Luna."

"Well, looks like you ladies have things under control." Aiushtha stretched her arms and legs as she already made her move. "See you 'round! I have a serial killer to observe."

"Do you **always** tail 'em around?" Luna asked, curious about Aiushtha's daily routines.

"Only him." She answered. "And only here. Can't be everywhere all the time. Tata!"

Luna brought her arm around Slithice, warming the both of them up during the cold as they kept an eye on Aiushtha's behind.

"So, let's get something warm for you to drink."

"Where're we going?" Slithice asked as she was directed by the barista.

Luna giggled, uncharacteristically of her. "Oh, just outside the park. _You'll see~~_ ."

_Northern Heroes Lane Entrance._

"Thanks for filling in, Elodie! One of our sisters is running a tad late." Noire apologized for the umpteenth time to an embarrassed Elodie, thanks to the attention they were drawing in.

"Noire, it's fine. I'm perfectly okay with helping you guys out." She said, giving a quick glance to Qara, who nodded in return. "Besides, it's just an excuse to hang out with you anyway."

"Aaawwww." Another sister appeared behind Noire, draping her arms around the younger sister's head. "You didn't tell me you got a girlfriend!"

"Shut up, Sev!" Noire retorted, struggling to get away from her sister's grasp. "Stop embarrassing me!"

The older sister relented, pushing Noire to Elodie, sending both girls tumbling to the ground. She was now bellowing with laughter as she Noire struggling to get up off the ground. Unlike Noire's 'school uniform' look and Qara's 'office blouse and skirt', this sister was wearing a black track pants and jersey. All three sisters also sported different hairstyles; Noire had wavy red hair that went to her shoulders; Qara had her brown hair held in a tight bun; Sev herself had tomboyish short blonde hair.

"Man, Noire. You're so **easy** to tease!" Sev stated still in a fit of laughter.

"Enough, Sev. Get back to work, please." Qara scolded. Sev gave her a quick salute before running to her side. Qara rolled her eyes at Sev's less than appealing quirks. "I know mum adopted most of you, but it's still mindboggling that we could all be so _drastic_."

"Yeah, well, I guess some things are more nature than nurture, huh, Qara?" Noire said as she helped Elodie up off the ground. "I mean, not **all** of us came from her."

"I'm so envious of you guys." Elodie said, drawing the two sisters' attention towards her. "My family isn't as close as this."

"But at least you still have one sister, right?" Noire said, steering the subject from anything melancholic.

"Yeah, at least I have that." Both Noire and Qara smiled in relief as Elodie sighed happily.

"Come on, we need to spread the word around." Noire said as she held Elodie's hand. "See you later, Qara!"

Both Noire and Elodie made their way towards the inside of the entrance, spreading the word for help and donations for the 'Broodmother Foundation'. Elodie herself has been doing this since Noire introduced her to the rest of her sisters. She hasn't yet met the eponymous **Broodmother**, and thanks to the sisters' tales of their mother, she's a bit hesitant.

"You seem busy, kiddo." Luna commented, her arms crossed as she leaned on the entrance's wall. "This what you been doing every weekend?"

"Hey Luna. Yeah, just to keep myself busy, you know?" Elodie answered. She tilted her head, noticing the other woman behind the barista, drinking a steaming cup of coffee. "Who's your friend?"

"Nobody you need to know now." Luna answered cryptically, with the creepiest smile she's ever seen from the older woman. Even Noire cringed when she saw the smile.

"You're creeping the kids out, Luna. Just tell them who I am."

"Nah, it's more fun this way." Luna responded. "You got it from here? I still need to stick around."

"Yeah, got it." She answered with a smile. "Thanks. For being here."

"Anytime. Good luck."

Slithice nodded, waving goodbye to the barista and her friend's sister, making her way out of the park. She let out a drawn sigh as she stared at her phone, checking for any messages and the time. Seeing that it was barely 10am, she surmised that she had time to get back to her apartment. With that, she crossed the road, already on her way with the drink keeping her warm in the cold.

"You're going to lose, Slithice."

The Guard Captain jolted in surprise, throwing her drink up in the air as she spun on her heel to face the person that walked up to her. They both stared each other in silence, until the cup came back to the ground.

"Luna bought me that drink, Gondar. You owe me a new one." Slithice reacted with mild annoyance.

"Noted." He said.

"Were you the one that sent her to me, by the way?"

Gondar smirked smugly. "Who else would it be?" the smirk disappeared as quick as it was there. "This isn't going to end well. Nothing good comes from this."

"What do you want me to even do about it, huh?" Slithice was getting tired of everyone telling her that this would be her end, and she's had enough.

"Let me handle it."

"No."

Gondar wasn't expecting that fast of a response. "No?"

"No, Gondar." She continued. "When this all ends, and it all blows up in my face, I need someone from the Guards, and someone like you to trust."

"You're putting too much on your shoulders, and you know it."

"Well, at least I have a backup job waiting for me." She said with a reassuring smile.

Gondar wasn't having any of it, but he's not going to push into things where he's not needed. "Stay safe, Slithice." He said, moving back to where he came from. It wasn't long till he disappeared from her sight.

Slithice smiled as a tear fell from her eye, accepting the fact that there was no turning back. "You too."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

okay, i'm back from my break! and, if you guys hadn't noticed yet, Nightsilver Tales now has a cover! it's made by Agito666, known for a couple of his shirts being sold at TI, and used with his permission :D (the art piece in question is this | agito666 tumblr com post 108901380060 moon-rider )

anyway, thanks for waiting for quite a while! hope you guys enjoyed this long chapter!


	55. The Dezun Order Appears

**The Dezun Order Appears**

Although the air was still cold in the city of Elze, the snow had started receding as the lands were preparing for the coming of spring. The first sign of change was the blossoming of the soft cherry petals that replaced the jade colored leaves of the Protector, now becoming the warm heart of the city. The season of love itself went by almost forgotten, as the people focused their festivities on the coming New Bloom.

Aside from the illuminated entrance, the Dark Moon was completely barren when it came to the decorations during such seasonal events. The reason for that was simply because none of the employees celebrated the holiday. They still however served the traditional drinks associated with it. It was mostly infuriating to the resident barista; she wasn't used to making those drinks, and them being only available during this time was a pain to her.

She was glad that on this particular day that there was hardly any sort of crowd, despite it being the usual rush hour for white-collar workers.

"Hey Lanaya. Don't you celebrate New Bloom?" Mirana asked to the part-timer, looking too deep in her own thoughts. Luna couldn't help but listen in to the brewing conversation.

"Uh? Nah, no. Not really." Lanaya replied, still in her own thoughts. The small smile drew the curiosity of the older women as they eyed the part-timer.

"Lanaya, you in there?" Mirana asked again.

"Huh? What?" Lanaya responded, rapidly blinking her eyes as she took in her surroundings. "What was that again?"

Mirana could only roll her eyes as she reiterated her question. "Don't you celebrate New Bloom?"

"Oh, yeah I don't anymore." She replied. "My parents did though."

Mirana wanted to ask more questions, but Luna's hand on her shoulder stopped her from doing so. She peered to see the barista shake her head warningly. Mirana sighed before shrugging and patting the part-timer on the back, leaving her with Luna as she went about her own duties.

"So why're you on cloud nine?" the older woman asked.

Lanaya giggled as a blush creeped up on her face. "Oh, nothing, Luna." She said, doing nothing to deter Luna's growing curiosity. She had never seen Lanaya act so oddly before, and it was starting to annoy her a bit.

A thought finally slip into her own mind as she remembered the occasion of the past few days. "You must've had a lovely dinner with Dr. Rubick." She stated, putting forth her observation.

And Luna wouldn't have believed it possible, but Lanaya's blush became a deeper shade, acting bashfully as she stifled her giggles. "Oh, Luna. Nothing like _that_."

"So what did you do?" Luna prodded.

"He brought me along to this observatory." Lanaya told her.

Somehow, Luna was less impressed than she's ever been. "That sounds _very_ romantic." She sarcastically remarked.

"It might not have been most people's ideal night, but it truly was wonderful." Lanaya said, her gaze looking up reminiscently. "We gazed to the dark night, and saw the rebirth of the Phoenix Star, and how close the Morph comet is to our planet, after its discovery in Polymorphia."

"You know," Luna butted between Lanaya's little speech. "I don't understand a single thing you just said. So let's cut to the chase and allow me to congratulate you on your fledging relationship."

"Thanks Luna." She replied, understanding the older woman's quirks.

The sound of the door opening alerted them of new customers, Luna giving the part-timer a quick pat in the cheek before she sent her off. Lanaya observed the two new people that had just entered, two people that she had never seen before.

A pair of similar looking men, but vastly different in their body structure. One was extremely muscle bound, wearing a white singlet and brown pants as he held his blue jacket over his shoulder. He had striking red hair that was tied into a ponytail longer than Lanaya's own. He also had a distinct looking necklace in the shape of some sort of tribal knife. The frown he had strengthened the piercing gaze has held as he stared down everyone that dared look at his direction.

Contrastingly, the other man was a third of his size, in both height and mass. He looked extremely frail, yet he did not waver in his counterpart's presence. The man wore a bright purple robe, akin to that of a priest. He carried an odd looking staff along with him. His head was adorned with headwear that held purple feathers that went down to his neck. His face was painted in some form of makeup, a black base as white surrounded his eyes and mouth in the form of teeth for the latter. Unlike the other's frown, this man had the widest smile Lanaya's seen all week.

"Why in Nothl are we doing here, wasting our time in some coffee shop, Dazzle?" the larger man asked infuriatingly as he was lead to an empty table by the priest called Dazzle.

"Come now, Huskar! Is that how you treat your cousin that saved your life?" the smaller man responded with a chuckle as he joined his cousin on the table.

"That is neither here nor there." Huskar said. "You are a priest of the Dezun Order! Take your job more seriously!"

"I am taking it seriously!" Dazzle retaliated. "This is just how I handle things. And if the elders can accept it, then you shouldn't have that much trouble, since you respect them so."

"I don't understand how a person like you was accepted into the order." Huskar complained gruffly. "You got lucky with your initiation, and now you walk as if the elders paved a golden path for you!"

"Can I get a glass of warm, strawberry milk?" he ordered as Lanaya approached them, ignoring Huskar's tirade of his apparent accomplishments. "And a glass of water for my enraging cousin."

"This is exactly what I'm talking about!" he said exasperatedly. "What in Nothl is wrong with-"

Lanay shook her head as she made her way towards Luna, laughing to herself at how rowdy the coffee shop became just from the two people that had entered.

Luna was already wiping an empty glass as the part-timer approached her. "What do they want?"

"Nothing much, just some milk and water." Lanaya answered as she handed the list of the two orders. "Do you know any of them?"

Luna chuckled at the impromptu interrogation. "Are you gonna ask me about every single person that comes here now on whether I know them?"

"Maybe." Came her short reply. "I've just realized how much you've accomplished, and then some, in your short life Luna."

Luna could only roll her eyes at Lanaya's odd logic, but she relented either way, tilting her head so she could glance at the two people. Lanaya scanned the older woman's face as she went from the light smirk of amusement to a flat, guarded expression. This drew slight concern from her, cautious of how Luna would further react to this.

Fortunately for everyone involved, Luna settled with simply pinching the bridge of her nose, before turning and showing her back to Lanaya, presumably heading on preparing the milk that was ordered.

"Do you actually know them, Luna?" Lanaya asked, careful on where she was treading.

"Not in the way that you're thinking." Luna said, turning around already with a mug of strawberry milk. She grabbed a pitcher of watcher, pouring the contents to an empty glass. "Gives this to them, and then _maybe_ I'll tell you about it."

Luna left her station, heading her way inside before Lanaya could protest. _Not like I could stop her, or change her mind._ She thought as she took the tray to the table.

When she arrived, the table was oddly quiet. She could see the person named Dazzle sitting smugly with his feet propped on the table and hands at the back of his head. The one named Huskar however had the deepest scowl directed at his smaller counterpart, arms crossed over his chest as his heaving was visible from the rising of his chest.

Lanaya immediately placed the ordered drinks on the respective sides, hoping to ease the tension between the two. "Here are your drinks, sirs."

"See, why can't you lighten up like this pinkish waitress we have here?" Dazzle said, gesturing towards Lanaya.

"**Don't** bring other people into this, Dazzle." Huskar replied with a groan, palming his face with one hand and grabbing the glass with his other. "This is **exactly** the kind of thing I'm talking about!"

"Yeah, why don't you just let me handle the religious affairs, a'ight? I'm the priest here."

"The way you're handling things is too loose!" Huskar turned to Lanaya, startling the part-timer. "Leave us, this does not concern you!"

Lanaya did as she was told; understanding that simply standing by would just fuel the flames between the two cousins. And worst of all, she knew that Luna and Sylla would respond in kind. She briskly made her way to where she thought Luna was, but she found the older woman nowhere inside the break room.

Her next assumption was the restroom, and luckily for her, that's exactly where Luna was. The older woman was still splashing some water onto her face, the faucet still running as the sound of it filled the room.

"You okay, Luna?" Lanaya asked, concerned with Luna's wellbeing.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She replied. "For now, at least."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing big. Just brought some unpleasant memories."

"Like what?" Lanaya asked. She would usually not but her head into situations like this, but after the months of their familiarity between one another, and herself feeling that Luna would benefit from letting it off her shoulders.

"I remember, seeing the purple priest's face. Although back then, he was still some initiate." Luna told her. "I was still a nobody myself, but this was the moment the people of Elze started noticing my actions."

"We; and by we, I meant myself, Akasha and Tresdin; were raiding this settlement just outside of Elze. We were still doing something for someone, and I don't even know why we were there; Akasha was the one searching for the damn thing. I made sure everyone's attention was on me."

"And you did that, by being you?"

"By doing things that finally made everyone know me as the _Scourge of the Plains_."

Lanaya was feeling slightly agitated. Despite knowing Luna's brief history, she never had associated the barista with those vile acts. "Li-like what?"

"Let's just say my hands ran red for the first time that day. You don't really want to know. And I know I say that a lot to you, but I mean it." Lanaya nodded, feeling slightly assured when Luna patted her cheek.

"So what did that Dazzle man have to do with anything?"

"I remembered he was there assuring the others, telling them that he wouldn't let me hurt them. Of course, I was getting pissed of him that I tried to shut him up."

"Permanently?"

Luna darkly chuckled at Lanaya's inquiry. "Obviously not. But I came really close." Luna paused for a moment; with Lanaya feeling the suspense build up. "He was constantly chattering as I pummeled him, yet whatever I did, he would not shut up. He saw through my frustration, saying how his faith was keeping alive, or something."

"Just when I think I almost did it, Tresdin stopped me. She told me that Akasha found the thing we were looking for, and we hightailed out of there." Luna made her way to the door with Lanaya right behind her. "After we turned that thing in, the three of us talked for the last time. Tresdin was livid with how I lost control while Akasha was in manic glee. I couldn't care less then, I was just extremely angry. Tresdin told us that she didn't want to have anything to do with us ever again, so she left."

The both of them were silent as they exited the restroom, the part-timer still trailing behind Luna as she made her way back. "Suddenly feeling scared?" she asked the younger woman.

"Extremely intimidated." She replied. "But you've changed. Right? I mean, even the Guard Captain trusts you, from what I heard."

"Slithice wasn't always that friendly with me." Luna said, leaning on the countertop. "She **really** wanted me locked up, but somehow Selemene convinced her that I'd be in good hands. Hopefully, that still rings true."

"Of course it does!" Lanaya interjected. "Everyone's changed, even the Queen from what you're telling me, and I'm sure Commander Tresdin too."

"Thanks Lanaya." Luna said contently.

With the barista calming down, Lanaya turned her attention to the two men, seeing them still in a heated, one sided argument.

"That priest doesn't look old." Lanaya stated.

"Just because I saw him then doesn't mean he's my age." Luna responded. "He was still a teenager, maybe younger than Elodie."

"Wow, people can become initiates that young?"

"Apparently so." Luna tousled Lanaya's hair, tugging on the part-timer's green scarf with her other hand. "Get back out there. You shouldn't let me ruin your mood any longer."

Lanaya sighed, wanting to refute that statement but couldn't do so as the older woman already pushed her towards the room. She'd had to have this conversation some other time. But for now, since the number of patrons had increased since they were in the restroom, she has a job to do.


	56. Commander House-sitter

**Commander House-sitter**

Her head was thumping intermittently, slowly waking up her mind. This spurred her to try and open her eyes, yet her body was still too exhausted from whatever she did last night._What did I even do?_ she thought to herself, her eyelids still struggling to open. Her body felt like it was in worse condition, as if paralyzed in her sleep. Slowly the feeling of panic was rising, but it all dissipated when she felt a soft, wet fleshy material swipe across her face. She felt it again, slightly longer. Then again. Then again. Until finally, her eyes fluttered open.

She reeled when the bright sunlight peered through the open balcony, stunning her in place her eyes adjusted to the light. The sudden change in light made the thumping heavier, and fortunately for her, her eyes were slowly adjusting to it. After what felt like an eternity, she could finally see her surroundings. Her attention immediately fell on a purple ball of fur that was still, apparently, licking her face. She scanned the room; an apartment from the looks of it; and was thoroughly confused, more so than anything else, wondering how she ended up here.

"Ah, _bonjour commandant_. I see Nova's woken you up." She looked up to see a disheveled looking woman wearing an oversized aquamarine shirt standing over her. An animesque caricature of a happy looking loaf of bread was blazoned on it.

The aforementioned commander wanted to speak up, but she ended up coughing from how sore her throat was.

"Hold on, _commandant_. I'll get you a glass of water." The woman left her field of view, the sound of water pouring into something filled the otherwise quiet room.

The woman appeared in front of her again, this time crouching while holding a glass of water. "Here you go, _commandant_."

She took the glass and drank the water earnestly, savoring the cool feeling of the drink going down her water. When she felt that every last drop was finished she noticed the woman staring intently at her, an eerily creepy smile plastered on her face.

"_Se sentir mieux , commandant?_" she nodded at the woman's question, before opening with her own.

She coughed lightly. "Where am I?" she asked her.

The woman smirked at her, raising an amused eyebrow before standing up and turning to the dark corridor. "Luna! Your guest is awake!"

_Luna?!_ the commander was now on alert, her mind trying to fully assess the situation. _I'm in Luna's apartment?_ she still couldn't believe it. She tried her hardest in trying to remember just exactly what happened the night before, yet it was somehow buried in the deepest corners of her memories. She then shifted her attention to the sound of the approaching footsteps.

And sure enough, it truly was the _Scourge of the Plains_ that was standing in front of them. Dressed in a blue cardigan over a tight black top, she looked at the commander's weak form, a smirk forming on her face. Luna glanced back at the other woman.

"Go take your shower, Mortred. We're leaving soon." Luna ordered.

The girl replied with a chuckle. "So early, Luna. Very unlike you."

"'Mene wanted to talk to me about something." Luna replied, a tired groan escaping her lips. "And whenever I leave, you're leaving too."

The woman named Mortred saluted to Luna, before leaving her with the commander as she went deeper into the corridor. The commander propped herself up on what she realized to be the sofa that she was sleeping on, seeing Luna take a seat in the one-person couch, propping her own feet on the coffee table.

"You look like shit, Tresdin." Luna stated, laughing at Tresdin's less than ideal form.

Tresdin could only laugh sheepishly. "I'm sure you'd be the same if you drank." The commander responded, before feeling the need to backtrack. "You're still, a teetotaler, right?"

"That's right." Luna replied, with some semblance of dignity. "You, however…" she left her sentence at that.

"Yeah, it's been rough." Tresdin said, clutching to the side of her head. "All of this didn't end up how I'd thought it'd be."

"I mean, to find the _Great Commander Tresdin_ completely inebriated on the ground, just outside of Panda's Brew. _Wow_." Shame filled the commander, her dark skinned face forming a light tinge of red at Luna's description of her. "What a sight to behold."

"How did you even find me there? Wouldn't a bar be the last place you'll be in?" Tresdin asked, slightly demanding an answer.

"Would you believe me if I said that King Ostarion's _wife_ called me to check up on you?" Luna said, barely containing the laughter that slowly infected Tresdin.

"Years ago, probably not. But now, I'm sure we can rely on a caring mother of two." Luna nodded at Tresdin's statement of their close former companion.

Tresdin opened her mouth to speak up, but was halted by Luna. "If you have any questions, I hope you don't mind holding them off till later tonight." She said as she stood up, the woman named Mortred appearing behind her as if anticipated. "I need to head off to work."

"Wait," Tresdin called out as Luna and Mortred made their way outside. "You're just gonna leave me in your apartment?"

"Sure. Akasha said that you're on leave, so I know you don't have anything busy planned. Plus, you won't be able to drink any alcohol here." Luna ushered Mortred to head on before her. "Oh, don't forget to feed Nova, okay? Bye."

Luna closed the door, locking it behind her as she left Tresdin to care for her apartment. The commander herself was flabbergasted; one moment she was catching up with someone she worked closely with, then the next the person in question just went and left her. She was also transfixed at what Luna's last remark meant.

"N… Nova?" she thought aloud.

As if on cue, a soft mewl came from the edge of the sofa. She came to see the same purple ball of fur, which turned out to be a tiny kitten, staring intently at her with her head tilted. The kitten waltz up to Tresdin, patting her paws on the commander's stomach. Tresdin melted at the sight of it, wondering how someone like Luna could care for a delicate creature in front of her.

Whatever thoughts she had, whether before or now, she decided on holding them back for the time being. Much to her chagrin, she set forth on looking after Luna's apartment and pet.

Luckily for her, she didn't need to do much, as the apartment was already well taken care off. The only thing she truly needed to keep an eye on was the small kitten that kept pestering her around the apartment, and finding the cat food was the first obstacle she had to jump over. When little Nova's attention was held for the short period, Tresdin settled with exploring the apartment, glancing at each room.

She walked to the end of the corridor where two doors awaited her. The door to the right was Luna's bedroom. Nothing was out of the ordinary, but Tresdin did notice a large stack of old newspapers. She'd never thought Luna as an avid reader back in the day. As Tresdin turned to leave, she noticed a photo frame hanged up on the wall. She walked closer to inspect it, seeing a taller woman standing between a younger looking Luna and an even younger brunette with her arms draped around them. The woman in the middle was smiling wide at the camera while the brunette's smile seemed awkwardly forced. Tresdin attributed this Luna, glaring scornfully at the camera with the deepest frown, arms crossed beneath her.

**This** was the Luna she remembered, not the one that openly greeted her with open arms earlier in the morning. It was because of her expectations of her former companion that she's now stunned beyond all measure at just how different she was. She shook her head in still astonishment, putting her thoughts on hold as she continued her tour.

She went across the corridor to the other door, expecting the other woman's room. Instead she got Luna's bathroom. Unlike the light purple tinge the whole apartment was putting, the bathroom was a clear white. Pristine. Definitely well taken care of. _She must really care for this small sanctuary of hers._ Tresdin thought as she set foot inside the bathroom. The round and large circular bathtub did catch her eye, surprised that an apartment like this would have such things. When Tresdin looked to the bath counters, she noticed a stack of clothes with a note on top of it. Her name was written on it, drawing her to it. She picked it up, reading the contents and smiling when realizing that Luna had prepared a clean pair of clothes for her. Glancing about, she shrugged to herself as she undressed, a hot shower near her mind.

With that out of the way, Tresdin made her way back to the main area. The living room was connected to the dining area, and the open balcony had the view of a college dormitory across the street with the rest of the cityscape beyond it. She took notice of the absurd amount of pillows and the blanket. She thought of how unlikely it was for anyone to give this much for an impromptu overnight guest. "Could her roommate be sleeping here?" Tresdin thought aloud.

With not much else to do, Tresdin went about her day sitting on the couch, with only Nova as her company as the kitten would often shift about around her, sometimes jumping onto her lap, being a general nuisance like all cats are. There wasn't anything much to do, and one way for her to pass the time was to drink. Of course when Luna said that she wouldn't be able to drink, she meant it; there was not even a single ounce of alcohol in the apartment, much to her annoyance. When the kitten woke her up later that day, she realized she had fallen asleep from sheer boredom.

Tresdin at least wished Luna would've told her when she'd be back, as she ended up waiting till 9 in the evening, with the kitten already asleep on a nearby pillow. Just when she was about to fall asleep again, the sound of keys turning, alerting her as the door opened. Luna and her roommate entered the apartment, looking tired from whatever they were doing.

"Can I take a bath, Luna?" Mortred asked, stretching her arms over her head.

"How long?" Luna asked flatly.

"A while." Mortred responded. "All the grime and flour isn't good on my skin."

"Fine, go ahead." Luna said. Mortred was in momentary glee before disappearing from the room.

"You took forever." Tresdin complained as Luna took a carton of juice out of her fridge before making her way to join Tresdin.

"Yeah, I'm sure Nova had some fun." Luna said with a smirk as she drank from the carton.

"I'm never house-sitting for you ever again." Tresdin said, only earning Luna's unabashed laugh.

"Good. I'm not expecting to find you sprawled out in the middle of the street again." Luna countered, silencing Tresdin. "So, aside from being a drunk, what've you been up to?"

Tresdin was glad for Luna changing the subject for her. "I've been touring the country under the King's orders."

"That sounds like _fun_." Luna said sarcastically.

"It's better than it sounds." Tresdin said, yet Luna's look of disbelief just brought them both to a fit of laughter.

They spent the remainder of the night conversing with each other, sharing stories as they caught up with each respective past. Tresdin hadn't felt this calm since after she punched the Queen in the face a few years back. She had not often admitted it, but she missed them. The two other people who understood where they came from. The three of them had stuck with each other for most of their younger years. It wasn't till Tresdin felt that they were crossing the line that she cut ties with them. Joining the army was her way of redeeming herself.

Unfortunately for them, all good things must come to an end. Both of them were just at Luna's door, still chattering about as they neared the end. Luna had an arm around Tresdin's neck, clutching the dark skinned woman in a jovial manner.

"Thanks for saving my ass last night, Luna." Tresdin said, trying to get Luna's arm off of her. "I probably would've been in a worse shape if I woke up in the middle of the street. Now, can you let go of me?"

"Not yet." Luna said, surprising Tresdin by bringing her into a bear hug. "Come back anytime, Tresdin."

"Thanks, Luna." Tresdin said as Luna finally let the commander go.

"I read about what happened in Stonehall." Luna said as she opened the door.

Tresdin just sighed as she exited the apartment, looking back at Luna. "What of it?" she was glad that it wasn't brought up before.

"I'm saying that you should stop by at Dark Moon from time to time. All that drinking is bad for you." Luna said.

"That's what you're on about?" Tresdin huffed, more surprised at Luna's words. "And what's this 'Dark Moon', a gothic hang out?"

"It's actually a coffee shop that I work as a barista at." Luna said, giving a motherly smile to her friend. "I'll assure you that my drinks will help you out more than any alcohol could, and your liver would be rejoicing."

"Luna, listen-"

"No." Luna said, cutting off Tresdin's own response. "Akasha told me you had problems, but she didn't tell me it was this bad."

"And what would some 'coffee' help with?"

"Trust me, it will. Especially when I make it." Luna said reassuringly.

"What happened to you?" Tresdin asked, reminded of how much Luna has changed.

"Time." Was Luna's simple answer. "And growing up."

"That's it?"

"_And_ having people around to help you." Luna added.

Tresdin sighed, shaking her head as she conceded to her friend. "Alright, I'll come by. And maybe we'll talk about some other things later."

"Good." Luna said, slapping her hand on Tresdin's back. "You need to toughen up. You're a soldier, for God's sakes."

"I guess I should've done some working out in my free time." She looked at her watch, wincing at how late it was. "Alright, now I really have to go."

"Don't forget to drop by at 'Dark Moon', Tresdin!" Luna called out at Tresdin's retreating form, the both of them waving at each other as Tresdin left the floor.

Luna sighed to herself before locking the door behind her, seeing Mortred already lying on the couch, drying off her hair with a towel. She smiled at Luna as she was joined on her makeshift bed, bring her bringing her knees to her chest so she could give the barista more room.

"You sure have deep connections, Luna." Mortred commented offhandedly.

"Not really." Luna replied. "They just branched off to wherever."

"When you told her that you had people helping you, was I part of it?" Mortred asked hopingly.

Luna just shook her head as she eyed her roommate in feigned disgust. "_Sure_, let's go with that."

"You're so _méchant._" came the baker's sad reply, sniffling back an imaginary tear.

"Whatever you say, Mortred." Luna said as she got off the couch. "I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow. I trust you can take care of the apartment."

"When will you leave?" Mortred asked for confirmation.

"Before you wake up."

"Okay. I'll make sure Nova's taken care of!"

"Great. Good night Mortred." Luna said, disappearing into her room.

"Good night!" Mortred called out, draping the blanket around her body as she watched the late night TV show, waiting for her body to drift off to sleep on its own.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

man, we've been having so much of Luna these past few chapters. how about we step back and take a look at the other girls, eh? (nudge nudge wink wink)

thanks for reading!


	57. A Toxic Trip

**A Toxic Trip**

The city streets were empty, completely devoid of life like some sort of post apocalyptic scenario. The moon looked pulsed with life, growing abnormally large before shrinking to the size people have come to expect. The air was filled with a thick mist, shading the roads with a dark, gloomy color. The city felt like it stretched on towards the horizon, a never ending labyrinth that trapped her.

Despite this, Mortred was still fleeing for her life, running down the empty street for her predator. Not stopping even for a short break, she glanced behind her, seeing the ethereal form shifting through the skies. She could only see the black and blue smoke that was left as whoever was chasing her blinked from post to post, building to building, and street to street. Whatever this thing it was, it was persistent, as it chased Mortred down.

Mortred too had leaped distances, trying to further distance herself for her pursuer, each leap draining her own strength as it had been years since she had perform those feats, almost unaccustomed to those actions. Yet despite each leap she took, her predator was still leagues faster than her, gaining speed and distance.

She took a sharp turn down the upcoming block, hoping to shake her trail despite knowing how futile it might be. But when she glanced back once more, she found that her pursuer was nowhere to be found. She sighed in relief, happy to have gotten away from whatever it was as she leaned on a nearby building's wall. She rested there, trying to catch her breath. She smiled to herself as a calm filled her body. Suddenly her eyes widened in alert, sensing vibrations on the pavement and walls. She propped herself away from the wall so she could see what was going on, now feeling the brunt of the quake. Then the wall shattered, sending her falling to the middle of the road.

She saw the thing that had been chasing her now floating on top of the mess it had created, dangling two blades that were as tall as her, and in turn she noticed that her predator was a woman of some kind. This woman's body was glowing as it bathed in an unnatural ethereal flame, bluish skin covered in a tight suit that barely did its job. She wore a helmet with a ponytail that was lit aflame.

Her predator smirked, stabbing both blades at Mortred as deep as its hilt. Mortred felt searing pain, like her very existence being erased. She tried to pull the blades out of her, but the blades were searing, her hands burning just from the touch. She tried holding the person back, pushing off against her chest, pummeling her. Mortred's fists met her predator's face, sending her foe's helmet tumbling off. To her horror, their faces met as she inspected every inch in her last moments.

The _thing_ that had been chasing her, was **her**. Mortred was staring onto her own face like she was looking at a mirror, except _this_ Mortred had black covering around her eyes, with her pupils nowhere to be seen.

Their eyes stared into each other, Mortred's dying gurgles contrasting the eerie smirk the other Mortred had. "_C'est un honneur, d'être choisi pour la mort._"

Mortred woke up with a start, heavy sweat pouring over her body with ragged breaths. She felt like she had run a marathon. She wiped the sweat from her face, eager to get off the couch, but stopped when she felt weight on her chest. She looked down to see Nova napping on her. She smiled, part of the tension seeping slightly away from her body, but just remembering her nightmare was enough to put her on edge. She cupped the little kitten in her hands and stood up.

She knew where she had to go right now. **He** had told her years ago that this might have happened, and instructed her what to do if such an occasion were to occur. She washed her face at the basin, put on a coat, and with Nova in her hands, she locked the apartment and went on her way, hoping she'd be back before Luna was done with her appointment.

She took the bus to the outskirts of Elze, her little trip going faster than expected as she stood outside the building of her destination in just an hour from when she left. She looked up, seeing some kind of plant used as a sign. She shrugged as she entered the building, taking the provided face mask for her and Nova. She could hear some kind of debacle going on further inside. She slowly walked, seeing the air become greener and feeling the surface of her skin become damp and sticky.

She turned the corner to meet the other people that were here before her, not even remotely surprised to see Detective Banehallow and Davion conversing with the deadly herbalist before them, their faces also covered by a face mask. She looked down on the floor when she heard a bark, seeing a husky sitting next to Banehallow, wagging its tail.

Both Mortred and the herbalist locked gazes for a moment, the herbalist nodding to Mortred as she smiled back (despite her mouth being covered), making her way to the Waiting Lounge, surrounded by plants that towered over her. She waited patiently for the detectives to be done with their business.

"I'm telling you, detectives, that all of this is the reports I have for the past 3 months. If there is something out of the ordinary, or maybe something you need from it, then by all means. But please; refrain from causing a ruckus at my little herb shack."

Both detectives nodded, as Banehallow took the documents the herbalist gestured. "Right. I apologize, Lesale."

The detectives nodded to the herbalist before leaving him to his task. Banehallow stood where he was, reading over the contents of the report. Davion, remembering that someone else had entered the building, turned and joined Mortred at the Waiting Lounge, Banehallow's canine companion following suit.

"Hello, mister Dragon." Mortred greeted, twitching her eyebrows in a playful manner. "What happened to Banehallow's corgi?" she asked as the husky drooped its head onto her lap.

"That corgi's at the vet." Davion answered, tousling Mortred's hair. "And don't call me Dragon."

"What are you two doing here?" She asked again, glancing down to see Nova patting her paw on the husky's nose.

"Just usual detective things, following traces, looking for clues. The usual." He noticed what Mortred was looking at and chuckled at the little kitten. "The question is; what are you doing here?"

"I just need… uhm… an herb from the herbalist." She answered, getting a suspicious look from Davion.

"_Sure_, don't we all?" He teased.

"I just really need to meet someone." She reinforced.

Davion drew a brow in confusion. "And you require an herb for that?"

"I know it sounds weird," she added. "but it's almost impossible to reach this person. Through, normal means, anyway."

"Alright, alright. It's none of my business." Davion relented with his hands raised. "At least, until we're we get a case that involves **you**, Mortred."

"Oh please, Mister Dragon. I doubt Banehallow would waste his time on a pretty little baker." Mortred replied, batting her eyelashes exaggeratingly.

"Oh, don't be so confident Mor- Banehallow!" Both of them were startled when Banehallow joined their conversation. "Did we get anything?"

"I found something, and Lesale's at the back, photocopying it." The older detective explained, scratching the husky's head. "We'll be out of his hair in no time. I'm getting sick of the air here."

"Cheer up, detective. It's not so bad." Mortred assured.

"Yeah, I'm sure you've gotten used to the smell, Mortred."

"I didn't go here often too. Just when it was needed."

"Don't sound so overly critical, _Lord Ambry_." Davion said, calling Banehallow by his title and earning a growl from the gruff detective.

"Oh yeah! I forgot that you're also a noble." Mortred said, wide-eyed at the revelation.

Banehallow groaned, gripping his partner by the shoulder. "I don't need people talking about House Ambry."

"But why? I'm sure you'd get tons of respect." Mortred said. "And maybe you'll have some women line up, hm? Future brides, maybe?"

"Now you're just talking nonsense." Banehallow rebutted. "I'd prefer you both to stop."

"Fine, you old timer." Davion relented.

"Old timer? He's only a few years older than you, Mister Dragon." Mortred stated, earning a groan from the detective.

"Ahem." All three of them turned to the herbalist, holding out a copy of the documents. "Here you go, detectives." He said to them, waving the documents. "And please, I'd rather not have any more disturbances."

"Thank you, Lesale." Detective Banehallow said as he took the documents from the herbalist's hand. "Let's get going, Davion."

They left the premises as soon as they got their hands on the copy, leaving Mortred and the herbalist on their own. Lesale smirked at her, creeping Mortred out as he gestured for her to come closer. She stood up, planting Nova on her left shoulder as she neared Lesale's table. She took the time to inspect his features, noticing that the man looked like he hasn't aged a day. Just his longer white hair and the many plants he adorned on them. He still had the same Venus Flytraps attached to the shoulders of his suits, snapping intermittently despite there being no insects. (although this made her wonder if the plants might actually be a part of him.) _Nah._ she thought immediately, jossing the theory aside.

Another thing her mind always wandered to was how beautiful he looked. At times, when she was younger, she'd feel envious of his features; pretty eyes that seemed to enrapture her, soft lean features on his face and pearly white skin. Even when he spends his entire life surrounded by these plants that somehow made the air damp with its dangerous, somewhat toxic air, his skin still remains perfect. She wonders if it's still even normal. She sure he isn't anymore, with this long over exposure.

"Well if it isn't my favorite Veiled Sister." He greeted her with a light smirk. "Or should I say, _former_ Sister?"

"That's right." Mortred responded, touching one of his Flytraps. "How did you know?"

"Because the next Sister they sent here was an emotional wreck." He told her. Mortred nodded as she giggled at the picture of it. "Although the Veiled Sisters haven't set foot here for the past few months."

"Really?" she asked, surprised by the news. "I never liked toxins, but I know how often we had to come here, I would've thought it would keep on."

"Surprised me too, but it's not that detrimental to my business."

"Speaking of that, how are you still in business?" she asked him curiously. "I'm sure the underground knows of your cooperation with the City Guards."

"It's simple, my dear Mortred." He started. "I am the only person this whole country who actively sells the product of these plants, which is more often used as their poisons. And **anybody** who wishes to intrude with my business, disrupting this small jungle of mine," the sound of a button being pushed came before various nozzles appeared around the building, startling Mortred. "they will never leave again."

"Alright, you convinced me." Mortred said fearfully.

Lesale merely chuckled, before retracting the nozzles. "So, what brings you back here after all these years?" he asked her, eager to get on with his day.

"A certain, _someone_, told me that coming to you was the only way to speak to him right now." She told him, not wanting to be overly obvious yet hoping she wasn't too cryptic.

A confused furrow on Lesale's face worried Mortred for a moment, till a knowing look came onto him. "I see." He said, disappearing into the back of the room and leaving Mortred on her own. She just sighed, petting Nova who was still on her shoulder, seeing the kitten holding on dearly onto her shirt.

"I have just the thing." Lesale said as he reentered the room. He held in his a conical flask filled with purple colored liquid and lime colored gas. The top of the flask had a burner attached to it. "Just light it up, and inhale the mixture for a full minute. The burner will shut off after two."

"Just like that?" She asked as she took the flask that was handed to her.

Lesale nodded to her as Mortred inspected the contents. "I remember someone coming along years ago, telling me to make this." He said to her, drawing her attention. "I thought whoever wanted it was a madman, saying that someone else would ask for it upon saying those exact words."

"Really?"

"Yes." He said. "Now leave, Mortred. I fear I may have been involved with things that are far greater than myself."

"Oh, it's too late for that, Lesale." She replied, taking Nova within her hand again with the flask in her other. "We are all connected now." She said, before leaving the building.

Luckily for Mortred, she arrived before Luna was home, and things appear unchanged. She immediately settled the purple kitten in Luna's room and sat herself back on the couch. The flask was on the coffee table, and Mortred was staring intently at it, still weighing the choices right in front of her. She was partly afraid of meeting that man again. And partly because she was also skeptical that this would actually work. _What am I even doing?_ she thought to herself.

But in the end, she caved in.

"Let's hope you weren't lying, Nerif." With a lighter on hand, she prayed and lit the flask up. No visible smoke, yet she could already feel the air change. She breathed it all in, and felt a pounding in her mind. She felt weaker as time went on until her body gave way, falling onto the couch. The last thing she saw before she lost consciousness was the door opening and a blue figure rushing towards her.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

for an idea on how Lesale looked like, you guys can go here: lapin-de-fou deviantart com/art/Lesale-the-Herbalist-ex-Venomancer-446692717 (don't forget to add the periods!)

hope you guys enjoyed it!


	58. The Sophomore's Last Months

**The Sophomores' Last Months**

As the educational year comes close to an end, students of all ages prepare themselves for the upcoming examinations. For some, it determines the next step as they await the fate of their futures. For others, it was merely an obstacle that they couldn't wait to be rid off. Either way, it was the gate that they couldn't wait to open.

Inside the Radiant Dorms at one of the many available common rooms was a particular group of sophomores, being tutored by two of their seniors. The sophomores divided themselves into two groups of four for their seniors' convenience. The blue-clad, cardigan wearing senior was tutoring the fiery redhead, the ever-annoying troll and the two of three Techies in philosophy, rubbing her forehead as the rowdiness of her juniors made it close to impossible to have things stay in its initial calm air.

In contrast, her green-clad, track suit wearing roommate had an easier time handling physics with the other four. She would've loved to tutor physics, with the quiet and serious air they gave off, yet she couldn't deny the fact the Lyralei was better academically than her. It would end up hurting them than helping if she went with what she wanted. A cry of frustration shook her from her own world, turning to see the chubbier of the two Techies yell out to the air.

"Why can I get this?!" he yelled in his high pitched voice.

"Come on, Spleen. We'll get higher than a C this time." His smaller friend said as he patted Spleen's back.

"Could you guys at least just focus on what we're reading here?" Lina complained, her hands moving about as she exclaimed in anger.

"S'wrong, Lina? A little too hot for you?" Jah'rakal commented, snickering when Lina brought her attention to him.

"Shut it, troll! I want to pass, and all you're doing here is dragging me down!" she accused, jabbing a finger at his direction.

"That is some _damning_ accusation, Lina." He replied in mock hurt. "But if that was true, then that would've been perfect." He cackled in maniacal laughter, seeing Lina fume with anger.

Traxex could only sigh, already given up hopes in silencing them. No matter what she did, they'd get back to either hysteric crying or unimaginable bickering. She glanced at Lyralei, seeing her roommate give her a sympathetic look. The both of them laughed inwardly to themselves. Traxex moved to Lina's side, aiding the redhead at whatever problems she was having.

Coincidentally, her sister was also having a hard time, but mostly on the questions that Lyralei had come up with. While Lanaya and Spoon were already working on Lyralei's new questions, she barely finished half. Even Yurnero finished more questions than her, much to her chagrin. She scratched her head, intent on getting it done. Lyralei wanted to help the struggling sophomore, but she only got uncharacteristic angered grunts whenever she came close to Rylai.

"Hey Spoon, glad you could come by and hang out once in a while." Squee said from across the room.

"What're you talking about?" Spoon replied confusedly. "I haven't gone anywhere. I've been taking the same classes as you guys."

"Yeah, _right_." Spleen responded. "Man, Spoon is so funny."

The others could only watch on in marvel astonishment as the last of the Techies shook his head at his friends' incredible ignorance.

"Hey, Lina." The older sister glanced back at Lyralei upon being called out by her fellow ginger. "What ever happened to Fletcher?"

Both Lanaya and Yurnero could see Rylai visibly flinch when the name was uttered. Even Jah'rakal refrained from commenting on it when he noticed Lina's cold gaze. "Don't know." She replied in a cold tone. "Never saw that bastard ever since the fire."

"You've never heard of him at all?" Lyralei pried on.

"No. Only that his burns even burnt his skin off." Lina told her.

"Who's Fletcher?" Traxex asked the two.

"You know, the only guy in Archery during our year's National Sports Meet?" Lyralei explained.

A look of realization fell on Traxex's face. "Oh, him? Wow, he was such a problem, even back then."

"Is Fletcher even a name?" Spleen asked out of the blue.

"Nah, that's just something people ended up calling him." Lina told him.

"Although it _can_ be used as a last name," Lyralei added. "it came from the fact that he made his own arrows."

"Very smug about it too." Traxex said.

Seeing their study session going down the drain, both Yurnero and Spleen looked at each other before turning to Lanaya, hoping she could defuse the situation. Lanaya for her part shook her head, not wanting the responsibility that was shoved her way. _You're the one that set this up._ she could hear Yurnero say with his masked gaze. She sighed as she relented under their gazes.

Lanaya coughed, drawing attention onto herself. "I can't believe you guys are almost graduating." She commented.

"Ah yeah, true. But we're not gonna go that far though, Lanaya." Lyralei said, brushing aside her hair. "We got ourselves scholarships to continue our masters here!" Lyralei exclaimed enthusiastically.

"I had to work my butt off for that." Traxex complained.

"Cheer up, Tra-chan. You still got it!"

"It's still disheartening, knowing you got it with less effort."

"Yeah, well, the paper I worked on just came easier for me." Lyralei said as she made her way to her roommate. "You have only yourself to blame for that horrendous topic you decided on."

"I won't make the same mistake next year." Traxex said to herself.

"Will you two still be staying in the dorms?" Yurnero asked to them.

"Naw, they only allow undergraduates a room in the dorms." Lyralei explained.

"That means you guys are still looking for a place?" Lina asked. "Or did you guys already find one?"

"Are you guys even going to stay together?" Rylai piped in, biting a pencil.

"Yes. It's easier when you can share the rent." Traxex answered. She turned her gaze to Lyralei when she heard the latter whimpered. "What?"

"Why didn't you say it's so we could strengthen our friendship?" Lanaya and the sisters giggled, especially when Traxex's face had a shade of red.

"Why would I say that?" Traxex responded. "That's just absurd, Lyra."

"Hey, you shortened my name!" Lyralei said excitedly.

"Ha-have I never done that before?" Traxex asked with a stutter.

"No! Best day ever!" Lyralei said as she hugged the still sitting Traxex by her neck.

"Do you guys want me to ask the apartment across if they have rooms?" Lanaya asked out of the blue, managing to successfully bring back the subject. Traxex mouthed a silent thank you at her direction.

"Oh, that would be awesome!" Lyralei said. "Thanks, Lanaya."

"Don't thank me yet."

"Knock knock." A tubby, tanned senior entered the room, looking around till his eyes fell on Lanaya. "Oh, Lanaya, you're here."

"Hey Al, what's up?" she asked him.

"That lady from across the street's here." He told her, surprised when he saw Jah'rakal's hysterical response.

"What?! Don't let her in here!" he said, hiding behind Traxex.

"Oh, too late." Was Al's simple response before he moved to the side, giving room for a certain barista to enter.

"What's wrong, Luna?" the part-timer asked, noticing the purple pet resting on Luna's shoulder.

"Nothing. You got 'Mene's message?" Luna asked.

"Yeah, Dark Moon's getting renovated. Why?"

"I'm gonna be gone for a few weeks. Leaving the city for a few errands." They all could hear a silent 'yeah' in the room. "I need you to take care of Nova for today, till Mortred gets out of the hospital tomorrow."

"What's wrong with Mortred?" Lanaya asked.

"Your boyfriend said that nothing's wrong with her, but he'd like her to stay the night." This time they could hear the clear gasps of the sisters, as Lanaya glared at the barista. Luna merely only chuckled at Lanaya's immediate response. "She was doing something weird, but she's not telling me anything."

"You didn't **ask** her about it?" Lanaya questioned, still silently fuming at being betrayed by her older coworker.

"I'm not like you, Lanaya. I don't pry into people's personal affairs." Luna said, smirking when Lanaya could only gaze scornfully at her. "Whatever her business was, she'll be back tomorrow, so Nova will stay with you for a while."

Lanaya took the kitten from Luna, still unhappy with her lack of a rebuttal. "When will you be back?" she asked her.

"Don't know. Take care of her, okay?" Lanaya nodded, her eyes widening briefly when she remembered a promise she just made.

"Hey Luna, are there rooms available?" she asked the older woman.

"Probably. I think the room next to mine is empty, why?"

"I know some people who'd like a room." Lanaya said, gesturing to Lyralei and Traxex.

Luna looked to the seniors and nodded. "Alright, I'll ask the landlord." Lanaya thanked Luna, but was confused when Luna took a step inside the room, moving towards one of the tables. Everyone could hear Jah'rakal squirm as Luna neared the table. She kicked the foot of it, the table shaking from the impact as Jah'rakal whimpered. "Can't wait for the next date, _lover boy_." Luna cackled as she left the room.

Silence enveloped the room as they all looked at each other, still stunned at what just happened.

"You went on a date with Luna?" Yurnero asked, breaking the silence. "I thought you were scared of her."

"I'm not scared of her!" Jah'rakal retaliated as he stood up. "It was Lanaya that gave me her number!"

"And you didn't ask her whose number it was?" Spoon asked him.

"No! All she said was it was a hot girl!" Both Yurnero and Spleen palmed their faces as Lanaya giggled at Jah'rakal's frustration.

"Well, she wasn't lying about that." Yurnero commented.

"You're dating Doctor Rubick?!" Lanaya cursed at how the attention quickly fell on her again, noticing Rylai moving towards her. "How? When? Why didn't you tell us?!"

"So you finally caved in to your desires, huh?" Lina said from where she sat.

"It's not like I planned on it." She told them, seeing Rylai's widened eyes still not believing her. "It was just a spur of the moment thing that happened at New Year's."

"How could you leave us like this?!" Ryali cried hysterically as she held onto Lanaya unlike Lina who gave Lanaya a congratulatory thumbs up.

"Wait, wait. Lanaya's dating Doctor Rubick?" Lyralei asked them?

"Isn't he a bit weird?" Traxex said.

"Weird is an understatement." Lina said to her. "He operates things on his terms, and it's a wonder seeing him move about."

"And many other reasons why Lanaya adores him." Rylai added, ignoring Lanaya's reddening face.

"Who's Doctor Rubick?" Spleen asked to the room.

"He's the son of Aghanim." Squee answered immediately, but glanced at his friend. "Right?"

"Yes." Came Spoon's answer.

"You know, I think we should get back to our study sessions, don't you think?" Lanaya announced, uncomfortable at everyone talking about her or Rubick. She turned to the tubby senior who was scratching his head by the door. "Hey Al, can you help the sisters with Chemistry?"

Al groaned at her. "You know, I'm just Professor Darkbrew's assistant. Doesn't mean I'm smart."

"Nonsense! I'm sure the Techies would also like some help."

"Yeah, and if you can't teach us, then I'm sure you know the answers." Lina said.

"No cheating!" Rylai scolded.

"So can we please get back to studying." Jah'rakal asked them.

"What? You're one to talk, you troll!" Lina yelled at him. "You're just gonna hinder us again, like before!"

Yurnero planted his masked face into his hands, groaning at how quickly their study session had dissolved as the argument between Lina and Jah'rakal continued on. He wished people weren't so emotional. He felt Spoon's small hand on his shoulder, the smallest of the Techies sympathizing with him. He peeked through his hands, seeing Lanaya sit beside him as she placed the kitten on the table while the seniors just watched Rylai hold Lina back from a cackling Jah'rakal.

"_Fuyukai desu_."


	59. The Moon's Collective

**The Moon's Collective**

The pale moonlight shone through the cityscape, its midnight glow giving off a menacing glow for the many that were unaccustomed to it. This particular night also enraptured the few that stood under its warm light.

Atop one of the many skyscrapers, Selemene stood tall as she gazed down the filled streets and the bright lights. She brushed her hand through her short silver hair, her warm breath visible in the cold night as she sighed. She looked up to the moon, smiling under its glow before looking down onto her watch. She tapped her foot as she grew impatient. She had been standing there by herself for close to an hour. She sighed with relief when she heard the door open.

She turned to see a spry looking man wearing a tight black suit, still with black bandages wrapped around his head just like the last time she saw him. He carried with him a box-shaped bag behind him that hissed intermittently. The same white chicken still followed.

"Rhasta, good to see you." She greeted him. "It's been years."

"It truly has been, Selemene." He replied, joining her at the edge of the rooftop.

"I heard that you scared my employees a few months back." She stated, earning a light throaty chuckle from him.

"It was not my fault that they were skeptical of the spirits." He replied.

"You didn't have to draw out Shendel's past though." They heard another say as she joined them. She wasn't as tall as Selemene, but the both of them still towered over the Shaman. "You know of what she's been through."

"But I think she is fairing fine now, yes?" he countered.

"No thanks to you." Aviliva said. She was still not too pleased with his most recent action.

"Now now, you two. We are here for other matters." Selemene told them.

"Why are you even here?" Aviliva asked Rhasta. "You've stopped coming along years ago."

The Shaman shrugged, unperturbed by Aviliva's minor hostility. "The spirits seem to align with what we have in mind tonight, so I decided to see what they got them so interested."

"Who are we still waiting for anyway?" Aviliva questioned, eager for this meeting to be over with.

"Nyx should be on her way, she had personal matters to attend to before this." Selemene told her. "Sylla was at the zoo since the morning, so Aiushtha should be coming along with him later. We'll also be having a, _special_ guest."

Both Rhasta and Aviliva looked at Selemene with raised eyebrows, intrigued at what she was talking about. "You're not even going to hint at who this 'guest' is?" Aviliva asked.

The owner of the Dark Moon smirked at her friend. "Let's just say, he's a _keeper_."

Aviliva furrowed, not amused at Selemene's attempt in riddles. The Shaman however had a knowing look. "The spirits sense that he will not be coming alone." He stated.

"Oh, is that so?" Selemene responded, genuinely surprised. She shrugged off the news soon after.

They heard the door open again, all heads turning to see who had joined them. They spotted Sylla holding the door open as a disheveled Aiushtha moved her way under his arm. Behind them was Nyx, who slowly made her way around them before Sylla closed the door. As the recent three joined them, Selemene observed each of them carefully. Rhasta was dressed in an odd mash of his suit that had shamanistic decorations adorning it. The chicken was sitting on the ground, close to his feet for warmth. Aviliva wore the darkest gown she's seen, that made it close to impossible to make her out in the dark if it weren't for her pale skin, red eyes and long silvery hair.

Sylla was still wearing the green custodian's uniform she had become accustomed to seeing ever since he took her offer to work for her in the Dark Moon. He crossed his arms as he too surveyed the lot of them. Aiushtha was covering a yawn she shivered from the cold night air, her usual outfit that was already unbecoming of a veterinarian proving unfit for the weather. Selemene could read the relief in Aiushtha's face when the vet hugged her lab coat around her body. Nyx, contrasting the elegant dress she wore during the Frostivus Eve dinner, wore tight and padded body armor over her frail figure. This serves enough to fuel intimidation if needed in her work in the underground. She held a jagged and spiked helmet under her arm.

"Wow, Rhasta's here too?" Aiushtha commented between the shivering. The Shaman nodded back to her. "It's just like the first time I was invited to these meetings."

"We're missing one person though." Nyx reminded, the tone of the air becoming somber. "The world became a bit grey when Aghanim passed away."

"Why dun we bring his lad along?" Sylla suggested to the group. "Bit queer, but he'll fit'in nicely."

"I don't think these gatherings would interest him." Selemene reasoned. "Plus, I don't know if you forgot Sylla, but he's dating Lanaya. It'll be a _bit_ weird."

"Oh, so that wasn't just a rumor?" Nyx asked with her eyes wide. "I thought he wasn't even interested in such things."

"That's what he thought too, I'm sure." Rhasta said to her. "This girl must be special to make him quake."

"Speaking of dating, Selemene." Aiushtha moved closer to Selemene, gazing the taller woman with a teasing curious gaze. "I heard Luna's also dating a college student. What's that about?"

Selemene grimaced confusedly, till a knowing look overtook her. "Oh that. It's nothing." She said. "It was just a silly prank that Lanaya set up that Luna decided on playing along."

"Oh? Shame, I wanted to tease her about it."

"I'm pretty sure 'dating' would be the last thing on her mind anyway." Selemene added.

"But imagine the child she'd bear, inheriting her features." The vet said, her gaze looking up as she dreamed of it. She sighed as a peculiar shudder went through her body. "Enviable."

"What? The kid? Or the las?" Sylla asked incredulously.

"Hm, I'm not sure…" she replied, holding two fingers on the tip of her lips. "Maybe both?"

The six of them shared a hearty laugh with each other, a fewer reminiscing of Aiushta's first meeting with them, bringing her cheery disposition to an otherwise melancholic gathering. It was a given, considering the nature of what they have their hands wrapped around on. What started out as morbid curiosity in their youth transitioned to them becoming a part of the unnatural world that surrounded the very lives of the people around them.

"Speaking of 'young'." Nyx voiced, drawing attention onto her. "How's young Puck fairing?"

"She wanted to stay with Mirana." Selemene answered. "I relented, and maybe Mirana could learn a thing or two about kids."

"Is the heiress even thinking of her love life?" Rhasta asked her.

"Not even close to it." She answered instantly. "She might have some repressed feelings for Luna, but with how Luna views relationships like that, this development will not go anywhere."

"Aw, such a shame." Aiushtha said in an exaggerated manner. "I bet that would be a lovely romantic story."

"I apologize for being late, my Lady of the Moon." Their light bickering halted when they noticed the roof being illuminated by a supernatural light. A hooded figure appeared just behind Selemene, holding her shoulders affectionately. "Was I intruding on something?"

"Oh, **this** _keeper_." Aviliva said offhandedly.

"Ah, Ezalor. Late as always I see." Selemene responded, not the least bit surprised, as were the others. "Where is your plus one?" she asked him.

"He should be right…" he looked at his empty wrist where a watch should be. "here."

The door opened on cue as a middle aged man took his step on the roof. He glanced his surroundings till he looked upon the group that awaited him, brushing his braided her aside as he made his way towards them. He got acknowledged nods from most of them, and a smirk from one particular man that he recognized.

"I present to you, the Chaplain of the Church of the Omniscience." Ezalor announced.

"Pleasant su'prise seein' ya here." Sylla said, with the Chaplain nodding back.

"You're that custodian from Dark Moon." He stated, mostly to himself. He turned to the tallest woman as he eyed her form. "And aren't you the owner?"

"That's right." She replied with a semblance of pride to the Chaplain. "But here, we are all equals."

"It's so nice to see a new face around here, Purist." The vet said excitedly. "But I guess you won't be staying for long."

The Chaplain gave a curt nod to them, before turning back to the keeper. "For what business was I called here, keeper?"

"**That**, Purist, is for Selemene to dictate." He said, moving to her side as he gave the floor back to her.

She smiled at the keeper, slowly shifting her sights onto her peers as they waited for what was in store tonight. She locked gazes with the Chaplain instantly. "Do you mind explaining the troubles your Church is facing?"

Purist turned his gaze to the floor with a defeated look. He looked back up, addressing the others. "The followers of the Omniscience have been under scrutiny and abuse by fanatical followers of Obelis." He opened. "I've tried for the past year in trying to reason with one of its more influential preachers, making sure our people's hands are not forced, but it's getting harder by the day. He has the attention of the populace, it's impossible to make them see the light."

Aviliva hissed at his words. "Fanatics." She said scornfully. "Always cause more problems than they're supposed worth."

"And this preacher just so happened to open the gates to the zoo as well, no doubt subtly drawing in more for his flock." The Enchantress added. "Not to mention, he's such a bad boss."

"You work under him, and you're a vet, Ench. Is there nothing you can do?" Rhasta asked her, silencing the chicken as it got rowdier.

"You think they'd listen to me? I'm just a lowly, unnoticed vet. He's practically a celebrity." Aiushtha covered her face with her hand, not liking the emotion she's feeling. "Look, all I'd like is if he'd just separate what he's doing from the animals. The people don't notice, but they're suffering under him, and I have to take care of them every single night in my grove."

"Simple blackmail can halt his actions." Nyx said observantly. "I can convince a lowly grunt from one of the gangs to do my bidding for this, and hopefully it'll at least hold his fanaticism in check till your people can properly address the situation." She said to Purist.

Selemene held her hand up before Purist could respond, sensing his apprehension. "Don't worry, Chaplain. Just let us work behind the eyes of the public, so you'll have nothing to worry about later."

"It feels wrong having an unjust deed being done in the name of the Omniscience." He said.

"Dun' see it as that. We jus' dun' like fanatics." Sylla voiced. Judging by Purist's relaxed shoulders, Sylla's reassuring words had worked.

"I… I understand." He finally relented.

"Speaking of fanatics, 'Mene. Have you heard of the Demon of Kivuli setting his sights on Elze?" Aviliva asked as she changed the subject.

"Ah, yes. Luna was actually helping the City Guards a few months ago regarding that." Selemene explained. "I think the Guard Captain is getting close to at least stopping his latest thrall."

"Oh, the Guard Captain?" Aiushtha said in revelation. "She came to me, asking for my help to seek an audience with Angelo."

"And what did you do?" Aviliva asked.

"I just took her to Nevermore." Enchantress answered flatly. "There's no way in hells will I ever come close to _**Lucifer**_ again."

A few of them shuddered upon the name being uttered, only Ezalor standing unflinching. "I haven't heard that name spoken in decades." Selemene said, some agreeing with her with a nod.

"I've heard of this thrall." Purist said, intriguing Selemene. "One of our followers managed to escape with his life, barely. He said this man was heavily scarred, using knives as his choice and going with the name 'Blade.'"

"Blade?" Selemene asked, answered with a nod by Purist. She turned to Sylla, who gave her a knowing look as well. "This complicates matters."

"How so?" Aviliva asked.

Her question was shrugged the moment it was asked. "It's not relevant right now. Hopefully." She along with Nyx moved closer to the taller woman as she drew them in. "Find something about this thrall from the neighboring cities. Then send it to the Guard Captain. Discretely. This is a case that her superiors would like ignored."

"This path will not end well for her." Rhasta said, his eyes fluttering closed. "She hopes that there might be room in the Dark Moon though."

"Yeah, Luna told me. Did you know she's a prestigious and talented singer? There's definitely room for her talents." Selemene said with a beaming smile. "But that's a-whole-nother matter entirely. We'll get to that when the time comes."

"Do these meetings always involve the black, clouded society?" Purist asked them with curious eyes. "Because this information doesn't seem like anything _anyone_ should be handling."

"That's right, Chaplain." Rhasta addressed him in Selemene's stead. "We are accustomed to the ongoings of the unnatural world that most don't even know exist. With the information we relay to each other, we try to hold it off from interfering with our day to day lives."

"And you people, have been doing this for decades?"

"Of course." This time it was Nyx that answered him. "Although this esteemed veterinarian had only joined us not too long ago."

Purist sighed as he realized what he had gotten himself into. He turned to the keeper once more, who was looking back at him with a wry smile. "I shouldn't have answered your call, keeper."

"You think that now, Purist. But I already knew that you would've come along." He told the Chaplain with certainty.

"Well, now that that's settled, how will your errands be handled now, 'Mene?" Aviliva asked again, moving the meeting along. "Mirana is unfit right now, yes?"

"That's right." Selemene replied. "That's why Luna's doing it alone."

"Can the lass handle such a task?" Sylla asked with concern.

"Hopefully. I told her that it'd take her a few weeks." Selemene breathed in the cold night air, letting it out slowly. "But I was overestimating it, so if all goes as planned, then she should be over with it in less than two weeks."

"What's this errand you're talking about?" Aiushtha said, locked out of the loop for once.

"It's something that 'Mene does annually." Aviliva explained. "The specifics are lost on us, but it's more the exchange of information."

"Like now?"

Nods were given to her as a reply. "Is there anything else anybody would like to talk about? If so, please speak now." The custodian held his hand up to her. "Yes Sylla?"

He turned to the Enchantress, who was surprised by his attention. "How're the Nature's Prophets doin'?"

"They're doing fine." She answered unsurely. "Why?"

"B'fore we're talkin' 'bout fanatics, Enchantress." He said worryingly for her.

Aiushtha gasped when she realized what Sylla was hinting at. "Oh, Leshrac! I see." She let out a relieved sigh for a short moment. "Don't worry. I know he can be a bit crazy at times, which is why I'm around. You know, aside from supporting his efforts."

Sylla nodded to her, assured by the situation. Aviliva took the chance to voice her thoughts as she turned to Nyx. "Are you really unable to expend more of your special beetles?" she asked. "With Mirana suffering from night terrors intermittently nowadays, it's only logical to expect Atropos' movements to become more erratic, more uncontrolled. If we could have more of these beetles…" she stopped when Nyx held her hand up high.

"These special beings of mine are special for a reason, Aviliva. If a new one were to be birth into the world, the older one would expire on its own."

Aviliva sighed, not liking the answer that was given to her.

Selemene turned to the Shaman, awakening him from his short meditated slumber. "Have your spirits been appeased?"

Rhasta shook his head. "Not entirely." He told her. "I'll be coming along these meetings till I find out why they are so."

"Is there anything that you need of me?" Purist asked the taller woman.

"Nothing really, Chaplain. Just keep in touch with Enchantress here, and hopefully things will be peachy."

With each person counted for, Selemene turned on her heel to face the keeper behind her. "Do you have anything to add, Ezalor? You've been quiet for most of our talk."

He eyed her cautiously, before smiling as he relayed to her what he knew. "Two things, in fact. There is a particular bookworm that you might have heard off from the North." He said. "I heard that she's moving to this city, with her old butler. I think she would be a welcome addition to your group."

"Okay, that's one. And the second one?"

"There is a woman, admitted to St. Aghanim's for being a little too, _curious_, with death." He started. "She'll probably be under surveillance for the time being, but this curiosity did not breed itself. She is especially attuned, and she would do well to be a part of you."

"Thanks for scouting. I guess we'll keep an eye out." She turned back to her guests, satisfied with the nights gathering. "I thank you all for coming tonight. Be careful on your way home; the Moon watches over the night, but not even its white light can pierce through this darkness."

They bid their farewells for the evening as they shuffled from the rooftop, heading inside the building. Selemene waited as each person left one by one, till all that was left was her, the Shaman and the keeper. She accompanied Rhasta to the door when another bright light shone behind them. When they realized that the light only faded slightly, they turned to see Ezalor now accompanied by the one known as Priestess Io, floating ethereally as she held onto his hand.

"Showing your true self to the eyes of mortals is risky, Priestess." Rhasta said as he eyed Io tentatively.

"Worry not, Shadow Shaman. I can take care of myself, despite how frail I might seem to you." She said with confidence. Her gaze fell upon Selemene, tilting her head as she eyed her from head to toe. "There is an odd glow coming from you, Selemene. What is that, I wonder?"

"That is because she shines as one with the moon, Io." Ezalor said, his words of compliment not going unnoticed. "Not many can move the moon glow and bless it to another."

"Now you're just speaking too much, brother." She scolded in mock aggravation. She turned back to the two, bowing down. "I bid thee farewell. Oh, don't forget to save four seats at the Dark Moon."

A bright light enveloped the two before disappearing from sight, no sign of their trace evident on the rooftop. Selemene shook her head, sighing as the feeling of bewilderment overcame her despite the decades of exposure to such beings. She felt a tug on her hand, no doubt Rhasta grabbing her attention.

She looked down onto the Shaman, with the chicken held under his arm. "Do you ever regret getting involved?"

A simple question that bore more weight than it should have. "At times, it does get a bit taxing." She answered, but continued. "But sensing, feeling the girls' appreciation, their affection, is enough for me."

"Of course." He responded. "Not many have the privilege to have the loyalty of two as if they were their own children."

Selemene scoffed as Rhasta took a step inside, her own gaze looking up to the moon. "Children, huh? I guess I can see how people might think so."

Rhasta looked back outside to see Selemene glow under the pale moonlight. He smiled at her as he felt the spirits surround her benevolent aura. "_The Daughters of the Moon are forever blessed, for their Goddess smiles down upon them for all eternity._"

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

a small melancholic glimpse to what our humble Dark Moon owner and her peers are up to in the darkest nights.

also, i was surprised by how many people thought TrollxLuna was a thing. ^hopefully that dissuades them.

hope you guys had fun reading about 'Mene &amp; Co., 'cause we won't be seeing this particular group for a short while.


	60. Sentinel Bonding

**Sentinel Bonding**

"Your sister's been a busy bee, hasn't she?"

Shendel looked up from the sandwich she was eating to come face to face with Mortred, only centimeters apart from her. She jolted in surprise, almost falling off the chair if it weren't for Mortred catching her hand just in the nick of time. She steadied herself back on the picnic table with the help of Mortred, and when she felt safe where she sat, she gave the baker a seething glare. Mortred was unperturbed, however, still giving a toothy grin to the waitress.

Shendel sighed, taking another bite from the sandwich before she answered. "Yeah, she sure is." She said through chews. "I'm glad she made close friends so quickly here." A soft smile emerged on Shendel's face after she swallowed her bite.

"Did she get to meet the infamous 'Broodmother' yet?"

"Oh, not yet. But the sisters are inviting her along with me next week." Shendel replied.

"Oh, can I tag along?" Mortred asked. "I've always wanted to talk to her."

"I'd like to come with."

The both of them turned to their sides to see Lanaya looking up from the book she was reading with an expectantly look on her face. Across the other table was a certain twitchy doctor, his own gaze still deeply poured into his own book. The four of them sat on the same picnic table, enjoying the sunny spring weather within Heroes Lane. A happy coincidence that ended up the two women becoming the third and fourth wheel during the couple's date. For their benefit, neither Lanaya nor Rubick seemed to have a problem with it.

"Why?" Shendel responded almost instantly. "Why do you two even want to meet Arachnia?"

"I just want to know if she managed to convince any 'Sisters' to be part of her family." Mortred explained, her excuse managing to satisfy her friend.

"I just want to talk to her." Came Lanaya's less than surprising answer. "I asked Luna what she knew of her, but every time I did, she'd just shrug and tousle my hair."

"Of course she would!" Mortred said, her hand moving to Lanaya's head. The college student swatted the hand before it could touch her hair. Mortred giggled, seeing Lanaya's flustered look, but her attention quickly switched to the doctor. "_Docteur_. Have you ever ran into the Broodmother?"

Rubick finally looked up, his eyes perking up behind his mask. "That _is_ an odd question."

"Why are you asking him that?" Lanaya asked, slightly uncomfortable by the question herself.

"He's older than us." Mortred replied with a shrug. "I'm sure he has his share of odd experiences. Here and there, you know."

Lanaya grumbled upon seeing Rubick ponder for an answer. She gruffed a response when the baker grinned at her direction. "I think I did, once." Rubick finally answered.

Mortred was in glee while the other two were baffled that doctor even had an answer. "Wasn't too long ago, maybe when I was got out of med school."

"You mean ten years ago?" Lanaya asked him.

"Close, around eleven or twelve more like it." He replied before continuing his answer. "I was walking home down the street, when I heard this ruckus happening not too far from where I was, probably a block away. It peaked my interest, as I immediately ran towards the area. Lo and behold, there she was, the Broodmother."

Shendel leaned herself onto the table, closer to the doctor. "Was she doing anything?"

"She was in the middle of the street, with the City Guards aiming their weapons at her. But she wasn't paying them any attention; she was instead focused on the other people that stood against her." Rubick pinched the bridge of his nose, struggling to remember his past. "Ah, yes. I think it was the _Scourge of the Plains_. Her, and one other person."

The three of them glanced at each other worryingly upon hearing it, wondering where Rubick would go with the story. "I don't remember anything exchanged between them, but the Broodmother gave the _Scourge_ and her friend a sad, pitying look. The _Scourge_ responded with the meanest scowl I've ever seen."

Feeling the doctor had finished his tale, Mortred laughed to lighten, albeit nervously. "Wow, you came across the _Scourge_ too, huh? _Quelle coincidence._"

"I know; it was quite the experience." Rubick responded with what sounded like glee. "It's amazing how much she mellowed out."

They could feel sweat trickle down when Rubick told them that. Hidden by his mask, he was smirking at their reactions. "Uhm, what are you talking about?" Shendel asked him, nervous laughter escaping her own lips.

"Oh, just that she found the talent to create these _amazing_ beverages." Finally, the doctor couldn't hold it in anymore, bawling uncontrollably at their slack jawed expressions.

Lanaya was the first to join the doctor, before the four of them were laughing with each other. Lanaya sighed, before addressing the doctor. "How did you find out?"

"The eyes." Was Rubick's simple reply. Lanaya raising a brow at his answer. "That purple, piercing gaze will forever be embedded in my mind."

Slight worry overcame the three of them, and Shendel silently volunteered to voice their concern to the doctor. "Doctor, for your own sake, I hope that you don't let slip that you know who Luna is to her directly."

Lanaya nodded, asserting Shendel's point as Mortred shuddered from a memory of a not so distant past. Seeing their trepidation, he assured them with a nod of his own. "As you wish."

"It's funny, how most of us are connected in some way. _Quelles sont les chances_?" Mortred voiced, her chin laid on her hand as she looked up pondering.

The others soon went back to what they were doing, attentions falling back on the books and the sandwiches on the table. Only Mortred looked like she was in her own little world, tapping her fingers on her cheek. She looked to her front, seeing Shendel pick another sandwich from the pack they had brought. Mortred nodded to herself, feeling determined.

"_Docteur_, may I ask you another question?" she asked once more.

Lanaya sighed, but she didn't look up from the book, leaving the doctor to answer the question on his own. "Go ahead."

Mortred fidgeted in her seat, unsure on what to do. "Is there, by chance…" she held her tongue, still hesitant. "a woman named, Krobelus, admitted in the hospital?"

She definitely got the attention of her two coworkers again from the question. "Krobelus… Krobelus…" Rubick was deep in his own thought, wracking his mind for his most recent memories. His eyes lit up as he found what he was looking for. "Yes. Sickly looking woman. Suicidal. Claims to be able to foretell people's deaths. Doesn't speak much beside her native tongue though."

"Even yours?" she continued.

Rubick shook his head, looking slightly disappointed. "She said that death is too far, since my life extends for a time. Good news for me, I guess."

Shendel looked horrified, and even Lanaya was unnerved. Mortred's blank response almost fueled it further, till she smiled at the doctor. She nodded at him and moved her view to the open park, away from the stares everyone was giving her.

"Does this involve why **you** were in the hospital?" Lanaya questioned, remembering the baker was there not too long ago.

"That's right, Luna brought you to the hospital. You've been quite as to why." Now even Shendel joined in, as she continued where Lanaya stopped.

"Hey, Luna might not push you for answers, but we're not so easily satisfied with your shrugs. Right, Shen?"

"That's right! Doctor, did she say anything as to why she did it?"

"Oh look, there's Mirana." Mortred stood up, waving to the manager. Both Lanaya and Shendel were fuming with silent rage at how Mortred was dealing with this. Yet the doctor just chuckled at their antics, as another woman approached them, her hand holding the hands of a giddy little girl in blue and pink.

"What are you guys doing here?" Mirana asked, but she turned to Puck when the little girl pulled her hand.

"Mirana, Mirana!" Puck called out. "Can I go play?"

"Aren't you a little too old to be running around a park?" Mirana responded. "How old are you anyway?"

Puck's closed hands fell to the side of her hips, pouting at Mirana. "I'm thirteen! And I can run around the park if I want to!"

Mirana sighed, but she still smiled at the little girl, amused at her youth. "Fine, but don't stray too far."

With Puck running off to enjoy the sights, Mirana sat herself beside Mortred, as the baker gave her some room. She looked at the four of them, slightly surprised to see doctor Rubick with them but calmed down when she saw Lanaya sitting on the other side. She wondered why Shendel and Lanaya were glaring at Mortred (who was acting oblivious with the widest ignorant smile she's ever had). She's been handling her own problems, so she hadn't kept in touch with them.

"So what's new, girls?" she asked them.

"Mortred's keeping secrets from us." Lanaya told the manager, but got only a stifled giggle in response.

"So nothing, basically." Mirana replied, seeing the baker smile at her while the others looked on in disbelief.

"I know, right?" Mortred said, her arm around Mirana's shoulder, bring the manager closer to her. "They're acting so surprised why I'm keeping a secret. Forgetting that the shop is _filled_ with them."

"I'm sure they're just concerned, Mortred. Luna told me that she took you to the hospital, and also for me to not ask about it."

"That's 'cause Luna understands the sanctity of secrets." Mortred said teasingly to the two waitresses. "Something that **you** should understand, Lanaya." She beamed seeing the look of shame and embarrassment on her two friends.

With their matters settled, Mirana joined them, taking one of the sandwiches laid out. She felt the receding warmth of the food, inhaling the aroma that was reminiscent of Mortred's pastries. Despite it only being two weeks since she's seen the girls, she missed hanging around with them, eating Mortred's pastries and drinking Luna's tea. She savored the bite she took.

"So Puck's staying over at your place? Is it like having a little sister?" Shendel asked her.

"Nah, it's like having a niece." She answered between bites. "Every other time of day, she's like this, but when the moon comes up, she's like a different person."

Mortred leaned closer to Mirana. "Like some sort of dream seer?" she asked the manager.

Mirana looked up in thought with slight apprehension. "No. Not exactly. More like a dream weaver, I guess." She took another bite when there was no response given to her. "But thanks to her, and the beetle 'Mene's friend gave me, I'm back to at least not remembering my dreams anymore."

"And that's better?"

"More so than you think." Mirana told them with a smile. "I don't wake up frightened and worried anymore, for the time being. That's more than I can ask."

"May I ask, what it is that you're going through?" Mirana gasped, forgetting that the doctor was around them. She gave him a nervous smile.

"Just some night terrors, Rubick." Lanaya answered for her. She made a note to herself to thank the college student for covering for her.

"She needs a dream weaver for it?" he pushed on.

"Yeah, it makes her feels at ease. Right, Mirana?"

"Mhm, it helped a lot." Mirana added when Lanaya threw the conversation back at her.

"Intriguing." Rubick said, as he nodded to himself in thought.

Seeing her boyfriend preoccupied with their little story, she looked Mirana right at the manager's eyes. "Where's Luna? She's doing something for Selemene, right?"

"Yeah. Usually, we both do it, but I'm not really at my best, so she's shouldering both our work." She took her phone out of her breast pocket, looking over it before turning back to Lanaya. "She's at the Scintillant Waste right now."

A chorus of gasps surrounded her as she announced Luna's whereabouts. "She's that close to the equator?" Shendel asked before the others.

"Is there any particular reason as to why she's there?" Lanaya questioned.

"Just some, exchange of information." Mirana answered cryptically.

"With who?"

Mirana looked to her side in thought, searching the words to form a fitting answer. She smiled when she found them. "A serpentine woman."

The confused looks they gave her meant she succeeded, and joined the joyous laughter the doctor had when he too noticed their looks.

_Somewhere near the sandy deserts_

Luna sat in a secluded diner, looking outside the window, witnessing a heavy sandstorm that was ravaging the surrounding area. She looked at the door, thankful that the owner allowed her to take her motorcycle inside. She looked down, moving to finish the scraps of leftovers that were still on her plate, sighing impatiently as she continued waiting.

Yet as her gaze was held down, she failed to realize a woman dressed in green and yellow sit across her. The woman coughed, signaling her arrival. Luna looked up, seeing the woman, her face covered in what looked like an opera mask as her thick braided hair lay strewn around her head. Her red eyes pierced through the mask at her.

Luna stopped eating, wiping her mouth before she addressed the woman. "Agent Gorgon?"

"Pleassse." The woman answered soothingly. "Call me Medusssa." She introduced, taking her mask off to show a heavily scarred face. The woman smiled at Luna, who was surprised at the gesture yet smiled back. "You are not the one who comesss to me."

"No, she's unavailable right now. I'm here filling in for her."

The woman, Medusa, eyed Luna carefully, before smiling again, taking out documents from her bag as she started their exchange alone in the ravaged diner as the sand storm covered their private meeting, classified information being given and taken from one party to another.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

i guess everyone can guess what the next chapter's gonna be. _nudge nudge wink wink_

and Nightsilver Tales has reached 30k views two days ago! woo!

also: ** Fishy** i always make sure to note that the story is a modern-AU, instead of a "realistic-AU". it's modern with some semblance of unexplainable phenomenon that most of our heroes experience.

once again, thanks for reading!


	61. A Qaldin Tale

**A Qaldin Tale**

The Scintillant Waste. A cloudless desert landscape most of the time. A raging desert sand storm the other. The only signs of life were the settlements that were laid around the land, with only one bustling metropolis serving as a gateway to the rest of the world. This is where Selemene's appointments led Luna, as she now sat at a desolate diner, playing with her food as the person sitting across her was signing a pile of documents she had brought.

She brought her attention to the window, where she gazed upon the sand storm that irked her. The density of the grains of sands that swirled around them was completely and utterly random. One moment, she could make out the faraway mountains and sand dunes in the background; within a second's notice she could barely see beyond the street in front of the diner.

Even more peculiar, she could sometimes make out an odd shape, as if dancing in the middle of the storm. Sometimes she's shake her head, thinking it was her own mind playing tricks, yet this wasn't a one off incident. It started to annoy her.

"What'sss wrong?" the agent asked with some concern. Luna looked back at the woman upon being questioned. "Something on your mind?"

"Nothing." Luna saw the agent looking at her, her reptilian-like eyes not taking her answer.

Medusa shifted her attention to outside, seeing what was keeping Luna preoccupied. A smirk took its place when she found the problem. "You know, there'sss a story, the localsss have about the sand storm."

Luna didn't feel like she responded much, but based on Medusa's pleased reaction, there must've been a cue that she saw for Luna to not even realize. The agent took it as a signal to continue. "The Scintillant Wassste wasn't alwaysss a desert wasteland. Centuries ago, thisss land was home to a green, verdant sanctuary."

"Yesss, it was full of life! People, creaturesss, even an empire used to stand here. But not all enjoyed the serene peaccce." Medusa took on a sinister smile when she uttered those words at Luna. "The _Djinn of Qaldin_, as it wasss called."

"Qaldin?" Luna queried.

The agent nodded right back at her. "That's right." She told her. "That was what thisss land was called before it became what you see before you. And the Djinn would look onward, across the green landscape, scowling at it from its throne. And it wanted **none** of it."

"So, with its influence, it conjured through the mineralsss of the earth, and created a carapace worthy of it's influenccce. It crafted with its handsss, the body that housed the constructed soul, pincersss large and menacccing with a stinger even larger. It crafted a masterpieccce. A symbol of its power, the Guardian of the Wastes, the **Monarch of the Sands.**"

"And from that day onward, this Monarch had spread across the land, turning this once green haven to a desolate wasteland, through the tremorsss its stinger created with each pound on the ground. The cave insss as it burrowed through the earth, destroying farm landsss and settlementsss. And the sand stormsss it created to whittle down the life that breathed here."

"And now we have this." Luna concluded. "And like all stories, they always sound farfetched. You believe all of that?"

Medusa hissed a laugh at Luna's skepticism. "The detailsss are indeed a bit sketchy. But take a look at the center of the storm." She pointed, drawing Luna's gaze. The barista focused her eyes, careful in making out what she was looking for through the shifting sands. Just as Luna was about to turn back to the agent, she caught a glimpse of a shape right at the center. "Do you see that?" Medusa asked.

She was speechless, wondering what it was that she was seeing. She was reluctant to admit it, but it looked too much like some sort of scorpion, doing what looked like an interpretive dance. "What is that?" she inevitably asked.

"That might be the Monarch of the Sands, doing his duty in spreading his dustss. Maybe it's the people, dancing in reverenccce for the Djinn of Qaldin." Medusa told her, listing the possibilities before finally shrugging. "Or maybe it is in fact simply a scorpion, the sands deceiving our eyesss to its actual size."

Luna sighed, seeing Medusa laugh at her. "So you don't actually believe it?"

"Flip of a coin." The agent responded instantly. "But it quelled your curiosity, right?"

"A little bit." She answered. "But I'm not really a curious person. I know of one, though." She looked down, seeing her empty plate. "Also, '_Monarch of the Sands_'?" she asked as she called over the waitress.

Medusa laughed, sharing the barista's sentiment on the name. "Not surprissssing, since it isss a story people tell to outsidersss." She told Luna, who had ordered a second helping. "The youth of thessse people have taken to calling him _Malaka Aramal_."

"And what does that mean?" the agent shrugged upon being questioned.

"I'm not too fluent in the language." She replied. "It wasss after all something someone elssse told me."

"Not much of an _agent_, are you?" Luna remarked, getting an embarrassed laugh from Medusa.

"In my defenccce, I've never been stationed here before. And I'm only here on vacation." Came the agent's excuse.

Luna quirked an eyebrow at the agent's statement. "Vacation? Here?" A large, bellowing sarcastic laugh filled the empty diner, the only waitress and cook eyeing the barista like some sort of anomaly. "You sure picked a _lovely_ place, Agent Gorgon."

"Let'sss just say I've been numbed to all I've experienccced." Medusa responded. "The clean, sandy beaches of the Ivory Islesss. The peaceful villagesss of the Wailing Mountainsss. Even the ravaged streetsss of Stonehall after the war. The The Scintillant Waste is a welcome change to all of that."

The barista rolled her eyes, taking a bite from the meal she had ordered. "You are far different than what the other one described."

Luna stopped midway as the spoon came close to her mouth, the statement catching her off guard. She looked up, seeing the woman's scarred face in attention, inspecting her with those deep, red eyes. The soft, caring gaze of a middle aged woman was replaced by the trained eyes of a deceiving, professional killer. It served to remind her that, despite her notoriety of her past years, she's nothing compared to people like the one known as Agent Gorgon.

"You mean Mirana?" Luna finally responded, settling the spoon down once more. "What has she said of me?"

"That you are a woman with a history. Cold, hard to approach. Tough. How much you hated her, despite her attemptsss at friendship. Yet here you are, not at all like the descriptionsss." Medusa took on a pleased, sinister smile as she elaborated her words. "And the fact that you're taking over her duty while she'sss unavailable probably meansss that your relationship isn't as sour as what she told me."

Luna could feel a trickle of sweat as the agent interrogated her, waiting for an answer from her unsaid question. This woman was nothing like the Guard Captain, or the Detective when they questioned her years ago. It unnerved her, but she steeled herself. "Time."

"Time?" Medusa didn't look convinced. "If that were the cassse, then we would've seen a gradual change to her storiesss as **time** passes on. Not something that happensss seemingly in an instant."

Luna cursed silently, both at Mirana for sharing her grievances with a stranger and the stranger in question for taking such a sudden strong interest in her. "Well I grew out of that phase. What other possibility could there be?"

"Oh, I'm sure there isss _something_ that made you change. If I ever drop by Elze, I might give Selemene a visit, just to see what the fuss is about."

Luna sighed, feeling the anger she was trying to hold down slowly rise as the agent unknowingly (_Or perhaps knowingly._ she thought.) pushed her buttons. She met the hard gaze with one of her own, glaring at the woman. "Let's just drop this. I didn't come here to be read like an open book. I didn't come here to be read like an open book."

"Very well." Came the agent's muted response, immediately going back to signing the documents they had brought.

Luna inhaled a breath of relief as she continued her second meal, silently berating herself for not having done so sooner and for falling for the agent's bait. And for that, she cursed the Djinn of Qaldin, wherever it was, whether it was a real thing or not.

A short time passed between the two, with Luna already on another order of side dish, leaning her chin on an empty hand as she absentmindedly chewed on a kebab. To say that she was getting bored was an understatement. Her eyes glazed the diner once more, looking for something interesting till she fell upon the agent's white opera mask. The mask served to cover the heavy scars on the other woman's face, and she noticed a peculiar looking red gem sat on the forehead of the mask.

She shifted her attention to Medusa's face, noticing the scars were partly minor burns and scratches from some sort of shrapnel. She wondered what the agent had been through to acquire those scars, and what other kinds were hidden under her green blouse.

"It was something personal." The agent said out of the blue, as if reading Luna's mind.

"Pardon?" Luna replied, not too sure of what to make of the statement.

"It wasn't some sort of assignment; a mission gone wrong or a mistake by my actionsss. Just someone I had to come across, who decided on enacting some sort of vengeanccce upon my family."

Despite trying her best to tune out the agent's venting, Luna was now engrossed with the brief glimpse of Medusa's life. She's starting to hate herself for it. "I came home one day, after a month injected in another country, to find that both my sistersss were kidnapped, by someone I haven't seen in yearsss. We might not have the closessst relationship, but I don't take lightly to anyone involving them with my affairsss."

"I tracked him down, thisss fat bull of a man, _mooing_ his anger at them. He thought he could shatter their spiritsss, but I knew my sistersss. They were stronger than he thinksss. We all came from the same mother after all." A dark snicker escaped her lips, confusing Luna. "So, armed with a shotgun, I came at him."

"He wasn't alone, that coward, but I took his henchmen just from a few stray shotsss. They thought they had me cornered, but I thrived when they surround me. Problem was that they managed to keep me preoccupied. Next thing I knew, that cow came charging at me, gun at his hand." Medusa's hand glazed over her own face, feeling the scars with each tip. "The idiot, didn't even know how to handle a gun, I don't even know how he managed to wreck it in the first place. If he took care of hisss own weapon, I would've gotten out unscathed."

"So what actually happened?"

"The bullet blew up in the chamber." Medusa clarified. Luna didn't expect the agent to shrug immediately after, with a smug look on her face. "Thought taking away my beauty would slow me down? He learned the hard way."

"You don't look so bad." Luna complimented. "The scars add some flair."

The agent laughed, still somehow creeping the barista out. "Thank you, for your kind wordsss."

"Just so we are clear here, Agent Gorgon." Luna said before the agent could continue. "Don't think that because you're telling me your life story, it would lead me to tell you of mine."

"Oh, don't worry about that." Medusa replied, winking at the barista. "If I ever wanted to know of you, all I had to do is just to ask Selemene."

Luna held her groan from escaping her, not willing to grant some sort of satisfaction to the woman, who was perfectly right about Selemene. Her boss had a habit of sharing their lives with the people who were among her close circle. She set aside her annoyance and went to finishing her kebab. Fortunately for her, it wasn't long till the agent stretched her arms above her head.

"And we're done." She announced.

"Finally." Luna responded with relief. She took the signed documents and relaxed herself briefly, leaning deeper into the chair. She noticed the agent immediately standing up. "You're leaving? In this weather?"

"I have my waysss." She replied, smirking at the barista before she covered her face with her mask. "Farewell, barista." Luna nodded her farewell to the agent, before turning her direction back outside. She hoped that the sand storm would let up soon.

"I almost forgot something." She turned back to see the agent approaching her side of the table, lowering herself so she supported her weight by her hand on the tabletop. "Based on the storiesss your _friend_ likesss to share with me, your past involved the dark, seedy underbelly of Elze. Am I correct?"

"You are." Luna replied, feeling agitated at the surprise question. "What of it?"

"Then by chance, do you know of a man known as the Herbalist?"

Out of all the things that Luna thought Medusa would say, she was not expecting the agent to ask that. Luna shrugged. "I know of him; herb cultivator, City Guard liaison and provider of poisons, but I've never actually met him. Why?"

"Can you do me a favor and…" Medusa fished out small green sack from her pocket, handing it to Luna's hand. "give thisss to him?"

Luna felt the sack in her hand, finding what appears to be seeds inside it. She wondered how much of a hassle this would be, till she smiled defeatedly when she remembered who her roommate was. She looked back to the agent. "Alright. That doesn't sound too hard."

Although Luna couldn't tell, the agent smiled behind her mask. "Thanksss. Thisss meansss a lot to me." With their final exchange completed, the agent turned on her heel, leaving Luna by her lonesome without another word.

Now she was truly on her own, the diner's employees keenly not involving themselves with her. She looked at the pile of documents, heaving tiredly at it, happy that she could now go home. A thought came to her, reminding her of what she wanted to do after the exchange. She took out her phone and began dialing, waiting for the tone.

"_Luna?_" a certain regal manager answered from the other side. "_Are you done?_"

"Yeah, but that's not why I called." She retorted, hearing a yelp coming from Mirana. "What did you say about me to the agent?"

Luna smirked when the manager let out an audible gulp. "_Uh, usual stuff? Haha, you know, nothing odd._" came Mirana's shaken reply.

She could hear Mirana's nervous laughter, which halted instantly when Luna coughed. "When I get back, we're going to have a _talk_."

Luna savored the forgotten sensation she had when she heard the younger manager whimper at her. With her own sinister smirk, she thought of how she'd make the manager pay as Mirana poured out a strain of apologies through the phone.

_Oh, it has been **so** long._ she thought ecstatically upon hanging up on the manager.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

man, the world sure has some odd mysteries, huh?

now with this small tangent over, we'll go back to what's bothering our baker! brace yourselves!

also: _Malaka Aramal_ is Arabic.

thanks for reading!


	62. Le Silence du Prophéte

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

WARNING: Heavy use of Google Translate. Apologies to those who are fluent in French. You have been warned. (translations/what i meant at the bottom)

* * *

**Le Silence du Prophéte**

In the middle of downtown Elze, surrounded by the bustling citizens of the metropolis, is the always busy St. Aghanim's Hospital, standing out next to the rest of the buildings by the bright green color of it, painted green in remembrance of the late Aghanim. Its doors opened to the whole province, it only accept not just the best, but either the most selfless or the most ambitious into its doors.

In front of the entrance, Mortred stood tall with a reluctant gait, hesitating as she was still unsure on whether to go through with what she had to do or not. She sighed, berating herself for even following some mad order. _I don't even remember it._ she thought, still upset with not remembering a single thing the moment she inhaled the mixture she had gotten from Lesale.

Nothing, except the words: Krobelus, Patient, and Prophet.

When she woke up at this very same hospital, with the memory of those three words, she had no idea of what to make of it, and kept to herself for the past few weeks when she was released. She felt a little guilty for making her friends worry, but she didn't want to involve them. _I should thank Lanaya as well._ she thought, upon remembering the waitress' doctor-boyfriend solved a part of her problem with just one answer.

And now here she was, probably looking highly suspicious when she noticed that she people were already staring at her. She shook herself and slapped her cheeks, knocking some sense back. She took a step back and blended in with the crowd, tightening the grey jacket she wore. She clutched her chest, feeling the blade she had hidden beneath. She was saddened, she hoped the knife Luna had gotten for her for Frostivus would never have to taste blood, yet here she was, wielding the _Lune de l'est_ as if she was ready for some battle.

"I'm over thinking things." She thought aloud. There were no indications that she had to face anyone, let alone kill. For all she knew, there might not even be any bloodshed. Yet she still brought along the blade, some sort of safety precaution.

She readied herself upon passing the entrance, facing her first roadblock. Because of how busy St' Aghanim's is, there was an obvious need for strict security. And with that, came the metal detector that blocked her path. Even if she hadn't brought along her knife, just the line alone would've dissuaded her from using that path. She steeled herself, adjusted her body, and approached one of the security guards.

"_Excusez-moi_, but is there a restroom nearby?" she asked the dark skinned man, squirming underneath his gaze, her face holding a discomforting look.

"Uh, yes, inside." The guard answered. He glanced to his colleague, getting an affirming nod. He turned back to Mortred. "I'll escort you there, ma'am."

"_Merci._" she answered, as the guard led her down the corridor.

Upon reaching the women's toilet, the guard gestured inside and waited by the door, Mortred taking her cue and entered it. She made her way straight to the basin, letting the water run and using it to splash her own face. She noticed a few women coming in and out of the bathroom. This worried her; not the fact that she could be suspicious (she was still confident in her own abilities, even if they were rusty.), but the fact that it was as easy as it was just entering. And this was without taking into account the possibilities of less than ideal entrances.

She looked into the mirror, seeing her own worried reflection. She smiled to ease herself, checking the blade to make sure it was still hidden, and took out her phone, setting an alarm. She made her way out and greeted the guard again, as he escorted back out. Less than a minute later her phone rang, with the guard stopping as he waited for Mortred to answer her call.

After a short pretend conversation, she faced the guard. "Looks like my friend is already waiting for me. _Merci_, good sir." She said, thanking the guard as she left him before he could respond.

She could feel the guard following her, but unfortunately for him, she had already blended with the small crowd. She took the stairs up to the floor above, and stopped upon stepping on it. With the first hurdle out of the way, she thought of what her next plan of attack would be. St. Aghanim's was by far one of the biggest hospitals she's ever set foot in, so searching each wing, each room, would take forever.

She stood there within her own thoughts, till a certain green clad doctor came into her view. Doctor Rubick, the one who had directed her path, leaning on the counter of the nurses' station. He seemed preoccupied, helping a nurse list some prescription for a patient. She moved towards him, but stopped midway, hesitating. She had already used him, and here she was about to do the same thing again.

"Ah, the bake_r_!" The doctor called out before she could even make up her own mind. "A_r_e you he_r_e to accompany Lanaya? She's inside with he_r_ blonde f_r_iend."

"Ah, so I didn't get lost?" she replied, feigning an embarrassed laugh. "Is there somewhere I can wait?"

The doctor looked back at her, tilting his head in curious thought. She waited for his answer, surprised that it was taking so long. "You can wait the_r_e if you don't mind." He pointed to the visitor's lounge. "O_r_ you can join he_r_, fou_r_ floo_r_s up."

"Four, floors… up?" she looked back at the staircase, concentrating on the map layout of the hospital. All the clinics were on this floor, and the only thing up there was the patient rooms. _Oh…_

"Yes. _R_oom 1604." He told her, knowingly helping her once more. "The_r_e's al_r_eady someone else up the_r_e though, so please be patient."

She couldn't believe that the doctor was actively pointing the way for her. She flinched when she felt a gloved hand fell on her shoulder. Without turning, she could tell it was the doctor. She turned to meet his gaze, those green eyes showing concern, just like her friends. She smiled, putting a finger on her lips in hopes that he could keep this between them, and made her way up.

The higher she got, the less people there seemed to be, and when she finally reached the floor, there were only a handful of nurses and a janitor within her field of vision. She looked around, looking for an indication of where this room would be. A sign with an arrow pointing down the corridor, with the numbers 1601-1610, showed her path. The VIP suites.

_Is she important?_ Mortred thought as she made her way down the path, feeling slightly agitated at how easy things seemed.

She reached the room, standing outside as she checked herself. So far there wasn't any sort of physical complication, and it eased her. She opened the door but immediately closed it, hiding herself from view with a blushing face.

_The Chaplain is here?! Great!_ she thought, the realization that the person she had been crushing on was inside the room with Krobelus. _Calm down. Nothing bad's gonna happen._ she stopped her irrational trembling and slowly entered the room.

The woman lying on the bed looked extremely malnourished, as if she hadn't been eating anything in years. Yet somehow she had a soothing smile on her face as she turned to face her newest guest, despite the top of her head along with her eyes being covered by bandages. She moved her "gaze" back down to the kneeling Chaplain who was in deep prayer. Mortred moved closer, standing behind the Chaplain as she joined the other woman waiting for him.

He slowly stood up on one knee, holding Krobelus' hand. "By His grace, may the Omniscience grant your mercy even in death." He held out his other hand, holding his phone, with a pair of earbuds attached.

The sickly woman smiled at him. "_Merci, aumônier._" she answered in her native tongue.

Mortred deduced that the Chaplain was using his phone as some sort of translator, chuckling at the thought. It was at this that the Chaplain finally noticed her, turning to face her. She could feel her cheeks warm up, and was sure the Chaplain could see it.

"Ah, the Dark Moon baker." He greeted her. "What brings you here?"

"Oh, I just needed to talk with her." Mortred replied, managing to keep her voice from shaking.

"_Qu'attends tu de moi?_" Krobelus asked, tilting her head in a confused manner.

Mortred opened her mouth to respond, yet stopped; she still had no idea why she was here. She searched her head for a likely excuse, yet she came up with nothing, instead embarrassing herself in front of the two people.

"Is something wrong?" the Chaplain asked her, causing her to yelp.

Her pale face was as red as a tomato from making herself look like a fool. After a long bout of internal struggle, she gave up and turned to the suicidal woman.

"I don't know." She said mournfully.

Krobelus reassured Mortred with a soft, understanding smile, planting a hand on the baker's cheek. "_Ne vous inquiétez pas._" she said. "_C'est un honneur, d'étre choisi pour la mort._" Mortred's eyes widened, remembering her dream and the woman saying the exact same thing as her dream version. "_Et ce sera rapide._"

She stood silenced, trying her best to keep her composure and to make sure she wouldn't freak out and make a spectacle in front of the two. Both Krobelus and Purist noticed this. The Chaplain was at a loss on how to approach the situation, but luckily for him Krobelus knew just the thing, drawing the Chaplain closer to her.

"_J'aime sentir l'air libre._" she said to his phone. She waited for the translation to complete before continuing. "_Dirigeons-nous sur le toit._"

"Very well." Purist responded, leaving the room to acquire a wheelchair for the patient.

With just the two of them left, Krobelus pulled Mortred closer to her by her arm, leading the baker to sit on the bed next to her. Mortred was still in her pseudo-catatonic state, finally coming to her senses when she felt Krobelus feebly shake her with her weakened arms.

"_Viens avec moi._" she said to the baker. "_Nous allons á l'extérieur._"

Mortred sighed, still shaken. Ultimately however, she relented herself and nodded, helping the woman stand up. They waited for a while till the Chaplain returned with the wheelchair he had sought for. With Krobelus carefully seated on it, Mortred held the door open as Purist pushed her forward. And with that, the three of them made their way to the elevator.

As the suicidal woman was humming along to herself, Purist glanced to his side, seeing the distressed expression on Mortred.

"Mortred, was it?" he asked, the baker quivering when the Chaplain spoke to her. She nodded at him. "You look like you have something weighing you down. Would you like to talk about it?"

She shook her head. "No, Chaplain. I'd rather not. Especially when I don't even understand it myself."

"How so?"

"It's dumb, when you think about it, really." She sighed again for the umpteenth time. "A dream, inhaled something, and woke up needing to meet Krobelus."

"Hm, that does sound hard to comprehend." He said, earning a tired chuckle from the baker.

"Now, I don't know what to do."

"But you've already met Krobelus now, so what's the problem?" he asked. "Shouldn't you be feeling at ease?"

"No, Chaplain." She replied. "Not even close."

Purist left it at that, fearing that he'd just cause Mortred more discomfort. The three of them continued on down the corridor, arriving at the elevator. As purist pressed the button to call it, Mortred looked around the floor, realizing that it was even emptier than before. She quelled her thumping heart, feeling the calm before the storm that would arrive, she was sure of it. She slipped a hand inside her jacket, gripping the hilt of the blade she had brought. She looked up; counting the number of floors the elevator had to go through. _Five more floors._ she read, so she waited.

The bell finally rung, the door sliding open to a dark-clad nurse. She looked up, greeting them with a smile, but Mortred knew better.

The nurse slid out a scalpel out from her sleeve, throwing it at their direction. Mortred had already shoved the Chaplain out of the way before taking the blow of the scalpel with her arm. The nurse ran forward to Krobelus with another scalpel, aiming to strike, but Mortred easily pushed the patient woman's wheelchair down the corridor. The nurse stepped back, glancing at Mortred as she took out her own blade, readying her stance. The nurse scowled at her.

"You, I know you." The nurse stated with contempt at Mortred.

"Oh, you do?" Mortred responded cheekily.

"Yes, the defector." The 'nurse' said, admitting who she really was to Mortred. "The younger ones looked up to you. We all looked up to you. And you left!" she jumped at Mortred, the scalpel striking the _Lune de l'est_ head on, blade against blade.

"Well, guess your role model wasn't setting a good example, huh?" Mortred responded, pushing the nurse away. As alarming as the situation was, this was much more of a familiar experience than before, her previous anxiety almost completely dissipating from her system.

With space created between them, Mortred finally took out the scalpel that was still lodged to her arm, flinching at the stinging pain. She saw the 'nurse' had already shed her scrubs, sporting a leather vest holding an array of knives (and other things she couldn't make out). Underneath, the 'nurse' wore a black turtleneck, now her hands adorned with thick gloves. The nurse took out her own blade that was sheathed in her boot, its elegant design rivaling Mortred's own as she brandished it at the baker.

"I heard you stopped one of us from reaching her mark months ago." The Sister said, the both of them circling as they kept their distance from each other.

"Oh, that?" Mortred responded. "That was just a happy coincidence. Unlike this!" she threw the scalpel at the Sister, aiming at her thigh.

The sister moved quickly, jumping out of the way and pushing herself off the wall, charging through the air at Mortred. The blades clashed, locking them in place. Mortred's footing faltered briefly, silently cursing at her out of shape abilities. This younger generation is slowly gaining her ground, and she needed to find something to ease the odds in her favor.

Unfortunately, the Sister was thinking the exact same thing, fishing out another scalpel from her vest and striking Mortred's abdomen. Mortred cried out from the stab, but she would not falter, instead the surge of adrenaline had allowed her to send the Sister teetering backwards. Mortred took the opportunity to free the scalpel while the Sister had fallen on her rear, but she felt weaker all of a sudden. She shook her head, and made her move to strike despite the sensation.

The Sister was still quick on her feet, rolling backwards to dodge Mortred's blade. She smiled, seeing Mortred's already sluggish movement and took the opening by kneeing Mortred right at the baker's chin, sending her staggering down the floor. Mortred steadied herself, slowly getting on all fours.

"What's wrong, getting too old?" the Sister mocked.

Mortred spat out the blood that pooled in her mouth. "Maybe. But I bet I can still show you a thing or two."

"You wish, bitch!" Mortred winced as the Sister threw another scalpel, this time hitting her hand.

Mortred took the scalpel out immediately, now standing up to face the Sister who was making her way to the indifferent Krobelus, watching the events unfold with her usual smile. Mortred ran towards the sister, holding it with her wounded hand, but the Sister caught her sluggish movement, turning to face the charging baker.

The Sister's blade struck Mortred's shoulder, but she smiled with pride, seeing the Sister's shocked expression, for she had managed to stab the Sister's thigh. She tried to slice the blade down the Sister's leg, only managing a few centimeters before she was punched at her gut, sending her sprawling down on the floor. Her vision was getting foggy, and only now did Mortred realized what had been happening.

"I would've thought those toxins would take effect sooner." The Sister remarked, wincing in pain at her own wound. "If only the Herbalist gave me the _good_ ones."

_Merde._ Mortred cursed inwardly. "Thought the Veiled Sisters stopped using his product." Mortred said, earning a mocking laughter from her younger counterpart.

"That they did, sadly." The Sister took out Mortred's blade, throwing it limply at the downed baker. "I had to use my own money to get them, and he gave me the useless ones. Good thing they still do their job."

Mortred'd movement was weak now, barely even capable of moving from her spot. She tried to reach for her blade, almost losing consciousness. She could hear the scoff from the Sister, leaving her again as she made her way towards Krobelus. Mortred looked up, panicking, seeing the Sister walk with nobody to stop her.

To her surprise, Purist tackled the Sister to the wall, holding her in place. "You will not take the life of another!"

"You're not the one to determine that, Chaplain!" the Sister said, trying her best to push Purist off of her, but he wasn't just any other cleric; his past experience in the war meant that he holding someone as lithe as the Sister wouldn't be a problem.

"The Omniscience guides my hand, villain!" he announced. "And I will not let you strike that woman down."

"I doubt your Omniscience can stop this!" the Sister struck Purist right at his abdomen, but with her blade instead of a scalpel. Purist wouldn't budge, so she struck him again, this time on his chest. "Stay. Down!"

Mortred's eyes were wide, straining with tears seeing Purist writhing in pain. She tried her best to move, but her body was now extremely weak from the toxins fully invading her body. The Sister, meanwhile, was catching her breath, not expecting this mark to be taking such a toll. She looked down at the Chaplain, then Mortred, smirking at their crumpled forms.

"You should be glad to die by my hands, _Sister_." the Sister mocked. "Although I might be punished, for taking more lives than I was supposed to, but oh well."

Mortred scowled at the Sister, her look deepening when arrogant laughter filled the air. But her despair turned to shock when she noticed Krobelus no longer on her wheelchair. The suicidal woman was standing tall, towering over them, especially the Sister. The patient's robe she was wearing covered her feet, making it look like she was floating off the ground. She still had that mad smile on her face, raising her hand at the unsuspecting Sister.

The Sister stopped her laughter upon feeling the long, sickly fingers of Krobelus circling around her neck. She turned with a frown, readying her blade to strike Krobelus down, yet she stopped when Krobelus laid her finger on the Sister's lips, before cradling the Sister's face with her hands, fingers gracing the cheeks softly.

"_Ce n'était pas très agréable._" she said softly to the Sister, who was quivering under her touch. Both Mortred and Purist couldn't understand what was going on, seeing the Sister squirm in Krobelus' hands. She shushed the sister with her finger again. "_Silence, mon enfant._"

Mortred finally saw her opening, straining under the pain to reach for her blade. After what felt like an eternity, she clutched the blade, slowly standing up. She held the _Lune de l'est_ tightly, careful to not have a faltering grasp as she made her way to them. Newfound determination filled her body with adrenaline again, with Krobelus smiling at her approaching figure. Mortred quickened her feet, no longer limping but now taking huge strides, holding the blade with both her hands.

Until eventually, her blade struck the Sister's spine, the distinct sound of bone breaking being nullified by the Sister's delayed screech of pain.

Both Mortred and the Sister went tumbling down on the floor, with Krobelus looking at them, despite her eyes still being covered by bandages, her hand covering her mouth in fascination. Her vision blurry, her muscles aching and her hearing clouding, Mortred finally let out the breath she was holding, finally feeling at ease despite what might be the last moment of her life. Oddly for her, she finally remembered what it was that she had seen.

_Huh…_ she thought, as she recalled the prophetical encounter.

_A Month Ago_

"Let's hope you weren't lying, Nerif." With a lighter on hand, she prayed and lit the flask up. No visible smoke, yet she could already feel the air change. She breathed it all in, and felt a pounding in her mind. She felt weaker as time went on until her body gave way, falling onto the couch. The last thing she saw before she lost consciousness was the door opening and a blue figure rushing towards her.

Her world transitioned seamlessly, as her surroundings was now a black sea. Just as she was about to question as to why it was like so, the scenery changed, slowly forming something she hadn't seen for a long time.

The first thing that materialized was the brick path that lead forward, green grass taking the place of the black sea with trees decorating the land. The empty sky was replaced with a starry night, the moon shining onto her. And finally a small building appeared where the brick path had lead.

It was a formerly abandoned military compound, now used to house inmates in a controlled house arrest or protective custody. Two guards stood beside the entryway. _Is this a memory?_she wondered as she looked around. At the same moment, her suspicion was proven when her eyes landed on her. Her from six years ago, sneaking around the back and moving on the rooftop, looking for another entrance.

She sighed, decided on walking down the path. _It's a dream anyway, right?_

She made her way down the brick path, minding her own business, but she halted when the guard's flashlight was directed at her.

"Halt!" he ordered.

Mortred was both confused and worried. _Is this not a dream? What's going on?_

She looked at the two guards; also looking like that just saw a ghost. The other guard, the one not pointing his flashlight, spoke to the transceiver on his chest.

"Sir, uh, the woman from that picture appeared." He said, his voiced laced with a hint of agitation. "Yeah, sir, I'm sure. Black ponytail. Bluish-grey dress. Barefoot."

The three of them stood silently, waiting for a response. Mortred couldn't make out what was replied to him, but he nodded, turning to the other guard. "Let her in."

With a nod, he turned off the flashlight (with Mortred only now noticing that it was attached to a rifle.), stepping aside as he unlocked the door for her. Not knowing what else to do, she nodded at them, slowly making her way inside.

As soon as she set foot inside, the door was locked behind her. She walked down the grey, eroded corridor, remembering the old and used walls from her last visit. She was minding her own business till another guard showed up right in front of her, backed by two others (one being a woman). She surmised that he was the one in charge, based on his clothing, but she gasped in surprised when her gaze looked up to see his face.

It was Slardar, the Guard Lieutenant. _But he shouldn't be a Lieutenant yet, back then._

He held his gaze at her, arms crossed as he waited silently. The female guard behind him was holding some sort of picture, looking even more nervous than the two guards at front.

"Sir, it **is** her." She said, handing the picture to Slardar.

With one hand holding the picture, and the other covering his mouth (with a hint of stress, Mortred noticed), he sighed, handing the picture to the other guard.

"So she finally appears, huh?" he said, mostly to himself with what sounded like disbelief.

Mortre just stood there, waiting for what the guards would do. She looked at the male guard,, his brows furrowing. "Sir, how are we sure?" he asked skeptically. "I mean, this all just seems like it's too good to be true."

Slardar tilted his head towards to guard. "You're right." He replied, before eyeing Mortred once again. "What's my name?" he asked her.

Mortred was startled. She hadn't planned on even calling Slardar by his name, in fear of the consequences. But if it was required for her to continue on, and also the fact that Slardar himself asked for it, she relented.

"It's Slardar." She stated with conviction. The female guard gasped while the male guard just stared stupidly at her with his mouth wide open. Slardar himself meanwhile barely showed any signs or reactions.

He merely turned to his guards and ordered them. "Take her down to his room."

"Sir, are you sure?" the female guard asked.

"Just take her down there." Slardar barked, leaving the two of them with Mortred.

She looked at them, waiting for them to lead the way. It was the male guard who, after getting himself back together, rallied the female guard. "Let's get this over with." He told her.

She nodded, taking Mortred by her wrist and dragging her further in the corridor, as they head towards the elevator with the male guard flanking them. She just followed along, somehow feeling calm amongst their agitation and anxiety. The three of them waited silently, till the ring of the bell signaled its arrival, with them stepping inside the elevator.

She stood between the guards, seeing them shuffle, clearly uncomfortable at her presence. But there was a peculiar thought that swirled in her mind. She knew there was going to be something that'll happen, but she couldn't remember what. She crossed her arms, deep in thought, till the sound of weight falling on top of the elevator shook them.

_Oh, yeah, that's what it was._ she thought, finally remembering.

"What was that?!" the male guard said in alert, overly jumpy.

"It's probably nothing." She told them. But she knew what it was; it was her, hitching a ride with them, still hidden from their eyes.

She smiled, reminiscing at her own skills, not like how rusty she was now. The sudden quake of her younger self jumping off the elevator shook her out of her thoughts, signaling that they had arrived at their designated floor. She knew that her other self had already arrived to where they were taking her, so she took her time.

The room was on the other side of the floor, so it actually took a while till they reached their destination. The guards stood at the doorway, along with unlocking the door for Mortred. They gave her a look, motioning her inside, so she followed their instruction. Once again, they locked the door behind her, leaving her all alone.

She looked around, never actually being inside this room that separated the outside and the eerie sanctuary. A small, empty, sterile room that served merely as a bridge. Although she expected it, she was still surprised at being able to hear the conversation that was going on inside.

"How? There's no way I can get out scot free. _Piégé._ Forever, as a Veiled Sister. Its hopeless." Her younger self said.

"Ah, but that's where you are wrong, Mortred." The man inside said, his voice still managing to send chills down her spine. "I have a list, buried next to one of the trees around the Protector, the one that faces dawn."

"What are they? Names? Of people to kill? I don't want any more blood on my hands!" Even Mortred was startled at the tone as she continued to eavesdrop.

"Oh, don't worry. There will be no blood to be shed this night." The man explained. "The list also has a package, for each person. Go to each of them, and hand them the package."

There was silence, the younger Mortred still hesitant. "Is that it? No strings attached?"

"Well, there's always definitely some strings attached. It is **me** after all. Ho ho ho." Mortred stifled her own giggle, remembering how angry she was at his words. "But do this, and you'll never have to go back to the Veiled Sisters again."

Silence again. _Just a little longer._ she thought. "But what can I do then? I have nothing outside."

"For **that**, all you have to do is seek an audience with the Guard Captain."

"What? Turn myself in?"

"In a way." He said. "But when you meet her, just say that the 'Oracle enjoyed the serenade at the Opera House', and she will do the rest."

Again, silence of hesitation, this time with a layer of skepticism. "And what if some problem arises? You seem to have some sort of foresight. How do I speak to you? Do I just break in again?"

"You don't have to. Just speak to the Herbalist."

"Lesale? Why?"

"Tell him that a certain someone told you that coming to him was the only way to speak to me."

It was at this point that Mortred shed away all caution and just went with what he had in mind, going back out the same way she came in, leaving the man inside all alone. The 'present' Mortred, now sure that 'she' had vacated the area, she turned the handle and stepped in.

"Ah, Mortred." He greeted her with open arms, despite being armless himself.

"Nerif." She greeted back.

"My, my. You haven't changed one bit, time sure worked in your favor." He complimented.

"So do you, Nerif. Although, that doesn't really mean much, right?" the armless man laughed, echoing through the room.

"So, still wondering about all around you?" he asked her as she sat down on a chair, leveling herself next to his bed.

"Yeah, what is all this? Is it real, am I actually in the past? Or is it just all in my head?"

"Let me ask you this first, Mortred." He ushered her closer. "If this was all in fact just happening inside your head, would it be any less real?"

"It would give me peace of mind, to know whether I'm going insane or not." She said with a laugh, but her demeanor changed to a more serious one. "You should know why I'm here, though."

"I do, in fact." He stretched his shoulders, standing up right so he could look down on her. "What to make of that? Seeing yourself, chasing you down an empty city, and eventually dying by your own hands. That must be terrifying!" a deep, throaty chuckle resounded from him.

"And what does it all mean? If at all."

"How do you like prophets, Mortred?" he asked out of the blue.

The question caught her off guard, but she answered either way. "Well, aren't they like you? Creepy?"

He laughed at her remark of him. "Try to get yourself into St. Aghanim's. There's a patient there that goes by the name Krobelus."

"Will she be able to tell me what my dream meant?"

"Of course not. The only thing that woman sees is death."

"Then what's the point of me going to her?" Mortred asked.

Nerif smirked, sending an eerie chill down Mortred's skin. "Because she **is** your answer."

"I don't understand, Nerif."

The oracle was about to continue, before a flash of disappointment crossed him. "This will all have to do." He said. "Because now, you have to wake up."

"What? Why?" Mortred responded. "I don't understand a single thing, couldn't you have elaborated further? Why does this have to end now?"

He turned away from her, moving to his desk, inspecting the book that was laid open on the table. He glanced back at her, still smirking at her direction. "Because people are expecting you."

Mortred awoke with a gasp. Eyes wide and still shocked. _Am I dead?_ she thought, moving her gaze around the room. She was still in the hospital, but this time **she** was the patient. She felt weight on her, looking down to see Shendel resting on top of her. She saw Lanaya behind the senior waitress, also taking a nap on the room's sofa.

She heard the door open, turning to see Magina entering, holding the door for Luna and Mirana as they trailed behind him. It was the tall woman who first noticed that she was awake, calling her out and quickly making her way towards her bed.

"Finally awake, huh?" Luna said to the weakened baker, who could only smile at her roommate. Mirana and Magina joined the barista, circling Mortred's bed.

"What happened?" She asked them.

"From what we were told," Mirana began. "Dr. Rubick came up to check on a patient when he came to see what looked to be the remains of a failed assassination attempt."

"Yeah, and it took quite a while to get all that poison out of your system." Magina added. "You've been here for almost a week."

"Oh… What about everyone else? That patient? And Purist?" a look of grief fell on Mortred's face as she recounted the others. "and the Sister…"

"The Chaplain is fine." Luna answered. "He's hurt, but not as much as you. He went home yesterday, but he left you this before." Luna took out a box of chocolate from the side drawer, with a letter that said 'Thank You' on it.

"That patient, uh what was her name again?" Magina scratched his head, trying to remember. "Ah, Krobelus. Nothing changed much, but she was very creepy, talking about death all the time."

"And that Veiled Sister, well…" Mirana turned to Luna, seeking the older woman's support. With a nod, she looked back to Mortred. "Dr. Rubick said your blade broke her spine, and she's been in the ICU ever since."

"I didn't want to do that." Mortred said mournfully.

"On the bright side," Luna rummaged through Mirana's purse, digging through the manager's stuff before pulling out the Frostivus gift she had brought. "They cleaned the knife, and it looks good as new."

Luna hoped that it would lighten Mortred's mood, but the baker still looked as sad as ever. "I didn't want to make another enemy." She said to them.

"That's a given." Luna replied, her tone comforting Mortred. "People like us, it's impossible for us to not make enemies. We just have to prepare ourselves for the consequences."

"Just head over there and apologize to her when you can leave." Magina stated, earning a glare from the barista who he chose to ignore.

"Magi, would that even help matters?" Mirana questioned.

The waiter shrugged "Probably not. We all got a good look at her before, remember? I don't know what they do, to _aspiring assassins_, but there was just something utterly wrong with her." He sat himself at the edge of the bed, his hand resting on Mortred's leg. "But it is worth trying out, right?"

Although Mortred smiled at the waiter, she still looked unconvinced, apprehension clouding the rest of her emotions. The others noticed this, moving to give the baker some space. Without waking up both Shendel and Lanaya, they all hugged Mortred before leaving the room again.

"Get some rest, alright?" Mirana said to her. "We'll be back soon. And maybe then Shendel and Lanaya would be awake."

"_Merci_ guys." Mortred replied, but her spiritless voice unnerved them.

They were at a loss on what to do to lighten Mortred's mood. Just as they were about to leave, Luna entered the room again, sitting herself next to Mortred on the bed. The baker looked up, wondering what Luna was about to do. To everyone's surprise, Luna brought Mortred's head to her chest, allowing the baker to rest on her bosom. She glanced at Mirana and Magina, ushering them out of the room and leaving her with Mortred, which they obliged.

Luna swayed back and forth, rocking Mortred and humming a soft tune, lulling the baker to sleep. Mortred smiled, feeling at peace under Luna's exuded warmth.

"You'd make a great mother, Luna." Mortred remarked, feeling the weight on her eyelids. "Did you know that?"

"Just go to sleep, Mortred." Was Luna's answer, but Mortred could hear a hint of amusement in the barista's words before she finally drifted off.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

that, _man_ dude. just letting the words flow and this is what we got. so far, the longest chapter in the whole story. not to mention having constant bursts of creativity. let me tell you, if i hadn't gotten a quick start, we might not have the chapter finished.

once again, apologies for the heavy use of Google and to any fluent French speakers. i hope i didn't butcher the language.

anyway, thanks for reading this chapter!

edit: oh, people might be wondering why i have Oracle being armless. it's nothing clever, really. just that his ingame model has no legs, so i decided on having him with no arms.

2nd edit: big shout out to Aqualio for correcting any broken translations!

TRANSLATIONS:

_Lune de l'est_ = Moon of the East

_Merci, aumônier_ = Thank you, Chaplain

_Qu'attends tu de moi?_ = What do you need of me?

_Ne vous inquiétez pas_ = Don't worry

_C'est un honneur, d'étre choisi pour la mort_ = It's an honor, to be chosen for death

_Et ce sera rapide_ = And it will be swift

_J'aime sentir l'air libre_ = I'd like to feel the open air

_Dirigeons-nous sur le toit_ = Let's head to the roof

_Viens avec moi_ = Come with me

_Nous allons á l'extérieur_ = We're going outside

_Ce n'était pas très agréable_ = That wasn't very nice

_Silence, mon enfant_ = Silence, my child

_Piégé_ = Trapped


	63. Moon's Rebirth

**Moon's Rebirth**

A sharp dressed man stood outside a forming line during the peak of rush hour, straightening his teal colored tie in front of the windows that belonged to the just reopened coffee shop. Through word of mouth alone, the Dark Moon, after a long period of renovations, had accrued a surprising amount of patrons who were as eager as to wait just to experience the Dark Moon's unique atmosphere. It was thanks to Sylla, acting as the day's bounder/guard with one simple task in mind: to make sure no chaos would erupt thanks to the bustling activity.

The sharp dressed man, satisfied with how he looked, flashed a toothy grin at himself, before turning to the short camerawoman, planting a hand on the top of her blonde head. "Alright, part timer! Ready to get the show started?"

The part timer, Rylai, looked up, straining just to stare back at the unnaturally tall man. Although Rylai herself had always been among the shortest people among her group, standing by the reporter just made her feel like a dwarf in comparison.

"You should ask yourself that, Mr. Harbinger." She replied with a hint of snark, which the reporter responded with a smirk. "I've been ready for the past hour."

"Please, call me OD when we're not on the air." He told her, scolding her like some child. "_Harbinger_ is too much of a mouthful, and I've learned through the years that most people can't even handle a conversation with me, let alone say my name properly."

"OD?" she asked him. "What's that supposed to mean? Did you overdose on something?"

"If I ever overdosed on anything, it would be with knowledge!"

"I guess your intellect is just far too superior compared to us plebeians." She retorted, proud with her own remark. "I guess I should be thankful that you're lowering yourself to talk with me."

"Yes, you should in fact!" he replied enthusiastically, either oblivious to her remarks or all out ignoring them. "You're one of the very few people that can last this long!"

"Gee, I'm _so_ thrilled." She said sarcastically. "Is _that_ why you've only had part timers as your cameramen?"

"That is exactly the reason. Let's hope you'll last longer than them." He said, complimenting Rylai in his own way, which the blonde did not reciprocate. "Now, let's not waste any more time!"

As Rylai positioned the camera on her shoulder, she gave the nod to Harbinger. With a proud smile, the reporter opened the doors, letting themselves in before the ever growing line. They were greeted by the intense glare of the custodian and the opened arms of the owner of the establishment they were doing a story on.

He turned to Rylai, and with her fingers, she counted down as she got a good angle for her superior.

Harbinger stood straight and composed as he addressed the camera. "Good Afternoon, viewers. Today the Outer Rim News is bringing you a very special feature on the reopening of the Dark Moon Coffee Shop. The very same Coffee Shop that was 'blessed' by our one and true King Ostarion."

A proud smile flashed on Selemene's face, and Rylai couldn't help but smile herself. The reporter turned to face the tall woman, gracing her with the exposure. "We have Selemene here, the esteemed owner of this fine establishment. Tell me, the Dark Moon had been under renovations for the past month. What spurred on this change?"

She granted them another of her eager, charismatic smiles. "It's a new decade." She answered. "This wonderful sanctuary has been open for ten years, starting with myself and two of my oldest employees!" she gestured her arm to a sunny Mirana, waving at the camera, and an apathetic Luna, busying herself with the incoming orders.

She faced Harbinger again, still with a wide smile. "This year, we will have been open for eleven years! And I don't see it stopping any time soon. So I just decided on freshening things up."

"There was a commotion around half a year ago, where apparently our Monarchs graced this very store." Harbinger opened. "Did anything special happen that day?"

"Oh, nothing much, aside from a few _personal issues_ being resolved." Rylai quirked an eyebrow at the random statement. "But King Ostarion did say he thoroughly enjoyed the drinks we provided. Which, from that day onward, this place had been given his one and only blessings."

"Not that many places would ever have the privilege to brag about such things." He said, his tone making Rylai sick. She never liked reporters. "Did you take the chance to flaunt it to your rivals?"

"Adding the subtitle under our sign was enough." She replied. "Although it was nice, sending out the message, we didn't want the Dark Moon to attract too much unwanted attention. After all; the appeal is mostly the atmosphere, and a rowdy bunch of people does nothing for it."

"Ah, I guess that is why this man is standing guard, I presume?" he gestured to Sylla, still looking unfazed as the camera turned towards him. Selemene hummed her answer. "Then, can we get a brief tour of this wonderful place?"

"Oh, I'd be delighted!" Selemene told them, leading them deeper inside the rejuvenated coffee shop.

"Oh, finally, I'm tired of smiling." Mirana commented when the camera left their view. "Wow, this place sure is booming, huh?"

"Yeah, pain in the ass." Luna said, going about her duties like clockwork. "If I could, I'd track those who uttered a word about this place and give them a good beating."

"Now now, Luna. If you did that, we'd still attract unwanted attention." Mirana teased, the both of them sharing a good laugh. "Besides, don't you know someone who can actually track people?"

"I'd have to pay him, though." Luna told the manager. "He hardly ever works for free. Only when it involves the most personal things does he not ask for payment."

"I'd figure you'd get some sort of discount, though." Mirana added. She got a scoff from the barista as a response.

"If anything, he'd charge me extra, given our history, _princess_."

"You lot sure complain much." One of their patrons said, waiting for his beverage.

"I'm surprised this, of all things, got you out of your cave, Pudge." Mirana said, leaning herself on the countertop as she conversed with the overweight butcher.

The butcher laughed jovially. "Change of scene, is all." He told the manager.

Luna turned away from the coffee machine, handing Pudge his order. He took the warm cup, inhaling the refreshing aroma, yet he stayed where he stood. "Aren't you gonna leave?" Luna asked him, hand on her hip as she glared at him like any other patron on an 'annoying' day.

"Mhm, don'cha have 'ny sandwiches?" he asked.

Mirana sighed, patting the butcher by his shoulder. "They're on their way, Pudge. Our baker's not at her best right now."

"Who says I'm not on my best?!" the door separating the front and the kitchen slammed open, the baker shuffling along as she carried with her a full tray with an assortment of pastries.

"What're you doing?!" came the manager's own hysteric response. "Dr. Rubick even said you're not supposed to be working yet!"

"But I can't just not be here, on Dark Moon's important day." Mortred retorted, ignoring the manager's worried cries as she planted the tray right on the counter, in full view of the people that were lining up. The baker beamed with her own satisfied pride, seeing that many people drool over her wonderful creations.

"Which one do you want?" Luna asked the butcher, preparing a paper bag for his orders.

"One'f each." He said with a toothy smile. Luna obliged, putting in the different meats of sandwiches, ranging from poultry to seefood, and handing it to the butcher.

Pudge fished out a wallet from his dirtied apron, paying forth his bill before bidding the Dark Moon employees farewell, heading back across the street to his butchery. The line continued on when Mortred disappeared back into her private den, working on her next batch. Mirana left Luna by her lonesome on the barista's station, joining her waitresses (and one waiter) in waiting on the tables. They continued on their daily routine as Selemene moved about the building, showing the old and the new.

Until it came the time for their segment to end, as the reporter and Rylai were lead to a vacant table. He sighed in relief, happy to have given a good show. "Great work, part timer!"

"_Thanks_, Mr. Harbinger." Rylai replied, less enthused about their performance than her superior.

"I told you, call me OD when we're not on the air." He told her, scolding the blonde like she's a small child.

"_Sure._" she replied. This Harbinger, whether he meant to or not, was draining every ounce of her mental capacity, so she resorted to snarky remarks aimed at him.

"Hey Rylai, didn't know you got a job." Came another part timer's words. Rylai looked up to greet her friend with a smile.

"Yeah, needed some pocket change. Have someone moving into the city, so I wanted to prepare a welcoming gift." Rylai explained.

"Part timer, why didn't you tell me you had a friend here?" the reporter question, giving Rylai a disappointed look.

"Well, you never asked, so why bother?"

Harbinger contemplated, before admitting his fault. "You're right. Can't fault you for that." He said, before picking taking the provided menu from Lanaya.

The waitress waited patiently for the reporter's order, before her attention was drawn by Rylai, who was pulling on her scarf. "Hey, what's that stage for?"

Lanaya looked to what Rylai was talking about, a raised platform around 20cm above the ground, with a mic stand at the very front supported by an array of speakers leaning on the wall.

"Hm, I don't know. I never asked." Lanaya told her friend, before turning to Mirana who was passing by them. "Mirana, have any idea what that's for?"

"Selemene said that a 'friend' of Luna's might join us." The manager answered. "She didn't tell me anything beyond that though, and it's not really set in stone, from what I'm told."

"What do you mean?" the college student queried. "Set in stone? Like this person not joining us?"

"Most likely." The manager said with a shrug. "I asked Luna what's going on, and she just told me to not give it much thought."

"So this person can sing?" Rylai asked this time.

"From what I'm told. She had formal training since she was very young." Mirana planted her hand on Lanaya's bicep, gripping it lightly. "I know you'll just end up asking Luna about it, but don't push for it too much, alright?"

"I'll try to tone it down a bit." Lanaya told the manager, with an odd looking smile that brought a quirked brow from the people around them.

Mirana sighed, facing Rylai with a tired look. "Keep her in line, will you?"

Rylai couldn't help but giggle at the pout Lanaya had. "Don't worry, I know what to do." She eventually answered.

As soon as Mirana was out of earshot, Lanaya sighed, feeling the weight of being ganged up on. She turned back to her friend, forcing a wide smile at Rylai. "Well, _blondie_, what would your order be?" she asked through gritted teeth.

Rylai laughed, seeing Lanaya glare at her direction. "You know what I'd want. And maybe some donuts, if there's any."

"Don't worry, Mortred's always prepared." She faced the reporter as he returned the short menu. "What would you be having, sir?"

"Some nice luwak, with one of those sardine sandwiches."

"You're into seafood, sir?" Rylai questioned.

"Not really." He replied. "Just that seafood is the only type that gets me glowing and afloat."

Both Rylai and Lanaya looked dumbfounded, staring at Harbinger as the reporter took out his notepad and began scribbling in it. Lanaya let out a relenting sigh, leaving the table and making her way to Luna. The day went on, as people went in and out of the coffee shop, with some familiar faces dropping by. Like a certain petite veterinarian, calling Magina to her table.

"Oh, Ench. Didn't see you there." He greeted, getting Aiushtha's signature bright smile that radiated the room. He glanced to her side, seeing an exact opposite of her. A tall man, dressed in blue and pink, frowning as he glared at the room. "Who's your boyfriend?"

"I am not this harlot's companion." He retorted, sending his glare towards the waiter, who retreated slightly.

"No need to get all uppity, Lesh." The vet said, reprimanding her friend. "Oh, pardon, Magi, this is Leshrac. Lesh, this is Magi."

"Pleasure." The man said to Magina.

Magina held back the grimace that was about to form on his own face, already not liking the man. "Likewise."

"Play nice you two." Aiushtha stretched her arms above her head before ordering. "The two of us would like Luna's famous warm milk."

If Magina was drinking, he would've spat it all out. It was a surprise itself in that he didn't trip on the ground. "Geez, Ench. If Luna heard that, she'd give you a good smack."

"I'd like to see her try." The vet challenged. "Not even Luna would survive the guilt of laying a finger on me, haha!"

"You're too carefree, Aiushtha." Leshrac complained. "Whatever, let's just get on with this. I don't like this place."

"I understand you love the outside, but you should relax in these places once in a while, Lesh. Be like me, a free spirit that's not tied down to anything."

He left them before the conversation veered off to a different tangent, putting in their orders to Luna. He waited there, helping out Mortred as the baker spread out her latest batch. He was always surprised by how much she can accomplish in such a short time, especially since it was only her that used the kitchen. As he pondered on Mortred's feats, he subconsciously grabbed one of the pastries, holding it within his own mouth.

"Ahem." He looked up, a dumb look on his face with that piece of bread between his teeth. A man wearing a lime green suit with two Venus Flytraps protruding from the shoulders of it. He had a face that could rival the beauty of the girls he's working with.

Magina slowly took out the bitten piece, an awkward air surrounding him as the man in front judged him. "What can I get you?" he asked.

The man continued eyeing him, and deciding that talking to Magina wasn't worth his effort, switched his gaze to the baker that was beside him. "Mortred."

Mortred looked up upon being called, gasping when she realized who it was in front of her. "Lesale, surprised to see you leaving your jungle." She commented. She patted Magina by his shoulder. "Don't mind him; he's a bit out of the loop."

"With everything, I assume?" he said.

Magina furrowed his brows at the strange man, and at Mortred who nodded. He never liked being made fun off or belittled. "Is there anything we can get you?" he reiterated.

"I'd like a sample of the seeds you use for your coffees, and maybe the tealeaves as well." He stated.

"Seeds?" Magina asked. "Don't you mean beans?"

"They're not beans, you fool." Lesale said, with venom in his tone. "Just because they look like beans does not mean they're beans."

With that remark, Magina threw his hands up in defeat, taking one more sandwich and leaving Mortred to deal with the man. _Screw this._ he thought as he made his way back to the break room. Mortred looked at Magina's diminishing figure with sympathy, wishing him good luck for this ever hectic day.

She focused on Lesale, as he waited expectantly. "I don't know where we keep those." She told him.

"They're below you." Luna said as she handed another patron their drink. She glanced at the two, pointing the cupboard she was talking about. As Mortred lowered herself, Luna eyed the man carefully with a raised eyebrow. "You're the Herbalist?" she asked him.

"Who wants to know?" he replied cautiously.

Luna fished out a small green sack from the depths of her pocket, feeling the contents before handing them to the man. "A gift, from Agent Gorgon."

As Mortred stood up with a packed paper bag, she came to see a relieved smile on the herbalist's face. "Oh, a gift from my love? How thoughtful of her."

"Oh, Lesale, you have someone special in your life?" Mortred asked as she in turn handed him the paper bag.

"Oh of course. Most dearly." He said as he inspected the seeds and leaves inside.

"Has she ever used your goods?" Luna questioned, as thoughts of the agent and her 'works' came to mind.

"Definitely. She'd have need of it, in her line of work." With the two packages in hand, he took out the money he had prepared beforehand, putting it on the counter. "Thank you for this, barista."

He turned tail and left before either women could reply. Luna took the money that he paid with and made her way to the registry as she pushed Mortred back to the kitchen. Once again, their day went by without a hitch. Soon the line shortened, and the patrons dwindled as the sun sets and the moon rises. Until finally, an hour before the Dark Moon closes, they revert back to the calming atmosphere that they were accustomed to.

Selemene was waving goodbye at the Vet as she left the building with her arms interlinked with her ever frowning friend. With the not yet empty room, she called all her employees to gather around her. She addressed them with her fists on her waist.

"Great job, all of you!" she said, pride swelling up as she gazed at each one of them, a tear appearing at the edge of her eye.

"Can we never do that again?" Magina said, shoulders slumped and his spirit crushed. "That was too taxing."

"Yeah, 'Mene. I don't think anyone here expected this much of a turnout." Shendel added.

"Relax, all of you. You'll get bonuses for today, so don't worry about it." She assured them.

"That's not your underhanded tactic to trick us to do more of this, is it?" Lanaya asked, still apprehensive.

Their boss laughed at them with Sylla standing by her side, sliding her hand around his shoulder. "I have no need for 'underhanded' parlor tricks, Lanaya. I'm your boss after all."

With their day nearing a close, she dismissed them, with most already heading to the break room as Selemene herself left the building, trusting it to her employees. The only people left in the room, aside from the few patrons that were witness to the Dark Moon's debriefing, was Luna, Shendel, and Sylla, the custodian in particular going back to his original duties.

The ringing bell of the door opening alerted them, an older man entering the coffee shop. He made his was towards the stools in front of Luna's station and sat himself across a resting Shendel. The man was still silent, giving Shendel time to gaze at him, wondering where she had seen the man before. White hair and beard, a light blue shirt augmented by leather straps attached to a golden guard piece on the man's shoulder. And most importantly, his almost glowing yellow eyes.

"Been a few months." Luna said matter-of-factly, fueling Shendel's confusion as the man chuckled.

"Can we get another Affogato?" he ordered. Luna nodded, making her way towards the kitchen, leaving Shendel with the man.

"Have we met before?" She asked him.

"Yes, we came by around this time, maybe seven months ago." He explained. "But we understand, we're not really memorable."

"If you're still confused, Shen…" Luna began as she returned, with a cup of vanilla ice cream. "Just look up."

And she did. She looked up, her mind trying to pinpoint what Luna had meant. She scanned the elevated cupboards, the trays of cups and the various decorations until finally she landed upon the charred red spear, complemented by golden cracks around its hilt. Eyes wide, she turned back to face the man, the _phantom_, smiling back at her.

"Here you go." Luna said, having prepared the drink to go. He took the cup in his hand, inhaling the aroma. "On the house, Azwraith."

"You even remembered our name. Generous."

"You're talking differently." Shendel commented. "You never used 'we' before."

The phantom eyed the waitress, his golden eyes peering through her. "We have changed." He said. "We have accepted the fate of our shattered form, and we hope to complete it."

"Is that why you're still walking?" Luna asked. He nodded and after taking one sip, he stood up and turned, making his way out as he waved to them.

Shendel kept her gaze on the phantom as he walked further down, his form disappearing into a golden cloud of dust. She sat there, stupefied and still in awe for a time that she didn't realize when Mirana joined them.

"Why the dumb look Shen?" Mirana asked with a giggle.

Shendel looked at the manager, then looking at Luna, with a question that she couldn't ask. Luna's shaking head was the answer to it. So they smiled, and continued on with their night as the Dark Moon's new day came to a close.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

well, that chapter ended up longer than i ever expected. but of well.

a compilation of cameos, is what i'd like to call this. also a nice fluffy one before we delve into another "serious" arc.

and also, a little something for **danceofghost****s**: for a brief glimpse into Lesale's love life.

as usual, hope you guys enjoyed it!


	64. Northern Guest

**Northern Guest**

Heavy rain poured down the emptying streets on the tiring dusk, the surprise building storm catching everyone off guard. Sighs of relief were let out by those who have finished their businesses, while curses were sung by those who hadn't.

A certain blonde college student leaned her head on the window, her gaze locked on the rain. Her thoughts were preoccupied with worry and anxiety. A person she knew from her time in the north had moved to Elze and wanted to talk to her, but this rain had made things difficult.

"You need to loosen up, sis." Rylai sighed when she heard Lina speak. "This is so unlike you, it's weird."

"It's a big deal, Lina." The blonde said, still leaning. "The least she did was giving me a place to stay in Icewrack. But she did so much more than that."

"I remember mom saying that you threw a hissy fit though," the fiery sister said, a light laugh escaping when her sister groaned. "when that lady called to tell her that you arrived."

"Please, don't remind me of how much a baby I was, Lina." The blonde said to her teasing sister.

"Oh _please_! You're always a baby." Lina's hand shot out and gripped the blonde's chest, causing the younger sister to squeal in surprise. "Just because other girls are jealous of _this_, doesn't mean you're any less of a baby."

"Lina, stop it!" Rylai protested. "We're not kids anymore!" The blonde sister squirmed away from her kin's groping, until eventually Lina tired, releasing her hand. "Why are you even complaining anyway? We're not that different. It's one of our only similar features."

"Who says I'm complaining? I'm just saying you should cherish this short reprieve you have." Lina laughed haughtily at her younger sister. "When my leg's up and running again, I'll turn heads away from you."

"_Sure_, can't wait to see you hobbling along when you strut your stuff." Their laughter filled the room for a brief moment of their lives. The younger sister quieted down before the redhead, causing the older sister to look at her younger kin with a confused expression. "I don't want you to turn back into a total bitch again."

"Don't worry; I won't turn back into one if you stop being a baby." Lina couldn't help but bawl out in laughter when Rylai pouted. Her hand moved out and pinched the blonde's cheek.

"Why are you so bubbly today?" Rylai asked, struggling to get Lina's hand off of her. "I'm supposed to be bubbly, not you."

"Dunno, guess I woke up on the good side of the bed today." She relinquished her pinch, stretching her arms forward. "Something about this morning just made feel great."

"I don't know if I should be grateful or worried." The blonde commented.

"I think it's great." Their part-timer friend said, joining them at their table with three warm glasses of their orders. She placed two of them on their sides, taking one for her own. "It's a nice change of pace."

"Yeah, is me being like this so weird for you?" the older sister asked.

"You're always just either salty or gloomy." Rylai said as she sipped her drink. "Seeing you complete a full 180 is a bit staggering, sorry if I'm a bit shocked."

"Geez, if you want, I can start up the salt train again tomorrow." Lina said disappointingly.

"No, don't!" the blonde responded immediately. "I'll get used to it! Just, don't…"

The air around them became awkward, especially for Lanaya who had just decided on keeping them company. "So who're you waiting for?" she asked.

"Some old lady." The redhead replied, earning a glare from Rylai.

"She's not just 'some old lady'. She's- Oh my God, she's here!"

Rylai stood up instantly, shuffling along towards the door entrance, waiting with her posture straight and hands clamped in front. An elderly man held the door open with one hand as the other hand held a closed umbrella, paving the way for a scholarly looking woman dressed in cyan, her foggy glasses covering her eyes. From behind her, a wet, grey husky came rushing in, tackling Rylai to the ground.

"Oh, my, Aurora! You've grown, girl!" Rylai said through the slobbering of the animal on her face. "Get off me, you're gonna get me all wet!"

"That's nothing compared to what the dog did to me ever since you left, Rylai." The older woman said, brushing her white hair aside.

"I will be waiting outside, madam." The elderly man said as he bowed to the woman.

"Don't be absurd, Thrael." The woman said scoldingly. "Just get that dog off of her and find a place to sit inside. Maybe order a warm drink for yourself as well."

"Very well, madam." The sharp dressed butler moved over to the dog, still licking Rylai's face. He grabbed Aurora by the collar, dragging the dog along with him.

Rylai still lay on the ground, panting just from the dog's ecstatic energy. She propped forward on her hands, seeing the woman staring at her, arms cross and foot tapping intermittently. Both Lanaya and Lina were also staring at her, wondering if she's just going to stay on the ground for the rest of the day.

"Should I take this as a sign for me to sit on the floor as well?" the older woman commented.

"Uh, What? No!" Rylai stood up instantly, formally addressing the woman that stared down on her. "How was the trip, Auroth?"

"Always as ever." The woman said dismissingly. "Never thought this country would be all rain. Disappointing, really."

"Well, maybe a nice beverage could calm your nerves. The barista here is amazing!" Rylai said as she dragged the older woman with back to her table. The table was packed with the four of them, as Lina and Lanaya waited for the older woman's response. "This is my sister, Lina." Rylai gestured to the crippled redhead, who waved at Auroth awkwardly. "And this is Lanaya, our friend." The part-timer, who sat next to Auroth, gave a curt nod.

"Lina, huh?" Auroth tilted her as she eyed the redhead, who shifted under the interrogating gaze. "The same sister that Rylai kept crying about?"

"I wasn't crying that much!" Rylai responded, slamming the table. Lina couldn't help herself from bawling with laughter again, gripping the table to steady herself in case she could fall over.

"Of course you were, I had to call over Ymir to calm you down, remember?" the blonde's face flushed a deep crimson, and this time Lanaya joined the redhead in laughter. "That snowball could always bring a smile to your face."

"Please, he's always like the brother I never had." The blonde excused. "It's normal for 'older brothers' to be there when their sister's crying."

"Oh, is that what it was? Not just some adolescent love?" She turned to Lanaya, who slowed herself as the older woman gaze upon her. "You work here, right? Can I have some black tea?"

The part-timer nodded as she stifled her laughter, standing up and making her way towards the barista. Rylai crossed her arms, shrinking as the laughter of her sister grew. "Of course not. I could never see Ymir like that."

Auroth smiled a comforting smile that eased the insecurity that grew within the blonde. Seeing this, Lina slowly silenced herself, but she still couldn't shake the cheshire smile off of her. "Rylai's stories always made it seem that you're old, but you don't look it." She started. "How old are you, anyway?"

"I am ninety six."

Now it was the blonde's turn to giggle uncontrollably, seeing Lina's slack jawed face when Auroth gave her age. The scholarly woman herself even chuckled. "What?! You barely even look forty!"

"I guess being up at the North had frozen my ageing process."

"Bullshit! Like something like that could ever be true!"

"Whatever the case, my age is as it is. And it's not something to ponder yourself over."

"Here's your tea, ma'am." Lanaya interjected, settling the cup and kettle in front of Auroth.

"Thank you." She said to Lanaya.

Seeing Lina mull over Auroth's apparent youth, Rylai turned to her former caretaker with a question. "Why'd you pick this place, Auroth? Doesn't see like your kind of thing."

"You mean aside from seeing you on television more than a week ago?" the woman said slyly.

"What? How? I wasn't even on the camera!" Rylai cried out.

"They had an online article as well, Rylai." Lanaya said, the blonde turning to her with an exasperated expression. "That reporter guy asked me to take a picture of the both of you too."

"You traitor!" Rylai accused, throwing a napkin at Lanaya's direction. The part-timer didn't even have to react as the napkin fell mere centimeters from the blonde. "We're part-timers! We're supposed to look out for each other!"

"Calm down, Rylai. That superior of yours just gave me a camera and asked me to take a picture." Lanaya told the infuriated blonde.

"Well, aside from _that_," Auroth continued, quelling Rylai's minute anger. "I needed to speak with the owner."

Furrowed gazes attributed to her direction, not wholly understanding what the scholarly woman meant.

"You mean, Selemene?" Lanaya questioned.

"Someone say my name?" all three college students flinched, realizing the tall owner standing behind Auroth, scratching the side of her short silver hair.

Auroth glanced upward, blue orbs meeting white, as Selemene stared down onto her newest patron. A flat expression took its place as she eyed the scholar. Auroth wasn't doing any different, judging the tall owner with her own eyes. Both women measure each other, creating a strong atmosphere between the both of them that made the three college students watch on uncomfortably.

"Ahem." Threal was now standing behind Selemene, his hands folded in his back. He served his intention in bringing both women back on their tracks.

"I was told that you were, the _one_ to go to, to show me around this place." Auroth said, initiating their conversation.

"Auroth, if you need a tour, I wouldn't mind-"

"Hush, child." Auroth said, her finger on Rylai's lips. "This involves matters that do not concern you."

"Yes ma'am." She squeaked back.

"In a way." Selemene responded, her usual relaxed posture taking over. "Who passed my name onto you?"

"Back at my estate, in Icewrack." Auroth answered. "When I had movers in there, packing up my belongings, this white, almost ethereal priestess came by."

Selemene chuckled. She knew exactly who Auroth was talking about. Satisfied, she took out her wallet and plucked a card out of it. The card was purple in color, with an engraving of the crescent moon on the side. Her own signature was at its center. "You can call this number when you are ready to proceed."

Auroth took the card from Selemene's hand, inspecting clearly. "Thank you. Thrael," she called her butler, who moved to her place. "can you give her my card."

"Yes madam." Thrael took out a miniscule rectangular container, opening it and presenting it to Selemene.

The owner wasted no time, plucking one of the cards from the container, reading it through before inserting it into her wallet. Both older women looked satisfied at their brief meeting, which only served to confuse the three students that were watching them. The butler had returned to his own seat, keeping the dog company as it panted along, lost in its own world.

Through the silent commotion, a heavily dressed barista exited the corridor, carrying with her a spiked baseball bat that scared Lanaya more than she cared to admit when the part-timer caught a quick glance of Luna making her way towards the entrance.

"Luna, where you going?" she asked.

"Out." Was her simple response. She fished out a pair of keys, throwing it at Lanaya. "Give that to Mortred. Tell her that I don't want any scratches on my bike."

"Leaving already, Luna?" Selemene asked, turning her upper body to face her barista.

"Yeah."

"But it's still raining outside." Lanaya added, worryingly.

"Someone's picking me up." A sedan pulled over on the other side of the street, flashing its lights. "See? There they are." She said, waving them goodbye as she left the building, running straight towards the car.

"Where's she going?" this time Lina asked, her blonde sister nodding beside her.

Selemene glanced back at the three college students, their eyes conveying curiosity and worry. Even Auroth herself looked intrigued at what had just quickly transpired.

"She's gonna save a friend, girls." Selemene said with a knowing smile. "Even in this dark and dreary night, she's not going to leave a friend stranded."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

well, not the chapter i had planned.

this one's a late short one. i planned something else entirely, but because i was kinda preoccupied with playing Heroes 6 campaign, i ended up not getting much done. so, i settled with writing a bit of a prequel for it. plus, nothing's wrong with featuring a new character and more of the coffee shop.

just of note, i actually checked up on two things here:

1\. that Auroth's servant actually has a name (which is Thrael)

2\. and that Aurora (the dog who was a puppy) didn't have any confirmed used gender pronouns. (i went with female because Aurora sounds female)

well, hope you guys enjoyed this! sorry it was late and that it's short!


	65. The Marauder's Shadow

**The Marauder's Shadow**

A dark and dreary storm enveloped the city of Elze, showering the streets with its torrential downpour as the anger of the skies struck the ground with reckless abandon. No semblance of safety or security was held by the countless people shielding, protecting themselves from the possible and inevitable harm that might befall them for mindlessly meandering about the streets. The sound the booming thunders created were loud enough to dampen one's hearing, and the bright flash of lightning could blind many unsuspecting. A perfect scenario, if anybody in their right mind wanted to cover their dark deeds. Unfortunately, a certain bounty hunter already had his nose on them.

Shielding himself underneath a bus stop, he waited impatiently. A cigarette on his lips as he stared at his watch. He took out a tracker from his back pocket, sighing with relief when he surveyed it, yet he was still filled with unease. But whatever his worry paled in comparison to the burly man next to him, tired baggy eyes straining to stay open in the bad weather.

The bounty hunter, Gondar, glanced at his larger companion, cringing at the man's stressed features, no doubt from the past week of worry. Slardar had come to Gondar with one job: to tail the Guard Captain wherever she went. Gondar didn't ask for any other details; he just wanted a legitimate reason to keep an eye on Slithice ever since he was told to not meddle in her business.

And now here they were, slightly soaked as they stood underneath a bus stop, waiting for their own 'reinforcements' to finally put an end to this misery. Gondar glanced at the Lieutenant warily. "Hey, Slardar. Remember when you used to chase me around?" he said, earning a confused response from Slardar.

"What's with the random question? Yeah, I do. What of it?" he answered perplexed.

"Hm, it really was something, right?" Gondar chuckled between each smoke. "You'd chase me around the county endlessly. I don't know how you managed to keep knowing where I was though."

"Not like it mattered, you were still two steps ahead of me, just disappearing off to whatever."

"You didn't think I that you were never tracked, were you?" Gondar puffed a smoke to Slardar's side. "But then you stopped chasing. Why?"

"Slithice said we needed your help." The Lieutenant said. "She told me to cease my attempt at your arrest, and that she wanted to speak to you."

"Ah, I remember that day." Gondar said reminiscently. "I let my guard down for one moment, only to have the Guard Captain pop up out of nowhere."

"Did she promise you anything? She never told me anything about your little meeting."

"Just straight up payment." The bounty hunter elaborated. "She gave me a third upfront and the rest if I could track her down."

"Her? You mean Luna?" Slardar asked, his previous worry pushed to the side for the time being.

"Yeah." Gondar inhaled the last vestige of the cigarette before flicking it away. "She wasn't the first to issue a contract on that woman, but it was part the huge amount of money involved, and parts her being the Guard Captain."

"She mellowed out since we got Luna. Shame we needed Angelo's help." Slardar commented.

The bounty hunter nodded as he took out another cigarette. "Slithice has a strong sense of justice. Very admirable." He said as he lit the new one.

"I'm afraid she's losing it." Gondar propped a brow at the disconcerting statement.

"What do you mean?"

"You know how she's taking this case to heart?" Gondar nodded, prompting Slardar to continue. "The higher ups are trying their best at hindering her movements. Usually, a Guard Captain doesn't have to go through all of this, yet they are very adamant that she stays out of this."

Gondar leaned on the wall, measuring the lieutenant. "I feel like there's not enough for me to judge."

"There was only one that supported this case." Slardar added. "But the others, I don't know what's holding their leashes, but they're acting way too overly cautious. Those corrupt rats are acting as if it's their lives that are on the line here when she's the one going behind their backs for this."

Gondar eyed Slardar carefully. He knew the lieutenant always hated his superiors, but there was some irrational level of hate fuming from him. An arriving car prevented him from responding. "Looks like our guests have arrived." He announced, the lieutenant looking up as the car pulled over in front of them.

A nondescript sedan shut off its lights as the door unlocked. The front passenger door opened first, the younger of the two detectives standing under the rain, giving both Gondar and Slardar a quick salute before heading his way to the trunk. The driver followed suit, the older detective showing himself covered by a brown raincoat. He made his way to the backseat, opening the door for the third person.

The last person was the barista, her long white ponytail tied into a prim bun as she stepped out of the car. Behind her were the detective's husky grey husky and a never seen Alsatian shepherd trailing behind, wagging their tails. The three of them, with the detective's canine companions, joined the two in the bus stop.

Davion joined them after, carrying with him a dented riot shield and an assortment of homemade grenades, coming in three distinct colors. He had his pistol holstered as he carried a hunting rifle for Banehallow and Luna's spiked wooden bat. He smiled at them.

"Stormy night, eh?" he said, as he handed the hunting rifle and bat to each respective person.

"Luna, odd seeing you not with your bike." Gondar commented.

Luna scoffed at the bounty hunter. "I'd be an idiot if I went out in this weather." She replied, hugging her bat.

"Now that we're all here, let's head on." Slardar said. With the others nodding, he moved first, leading them out of the shelter. Underneath the rain, they made their way deeper into the empty docks, moving towards one of the farthest warehouse.

"While we're on foot," Banehallow started. "Mind explaining to some of us what's going on?"

Silence followed Banehallow's request at the situation, with Slardar tuning out the white noise as he focused on where his sights were set. Gondar sighed, glancing at the older detective.

"You know of the case Slithice was hellbent on getting closed?"

Banehallow walked silently, wracking his mind for the answer. "I think so."

"Yeah, it was the one she told us to drop when we decided to take a look at it." Davion said, chipping in to the conversation. "She threatened us too, which was something I truly wasn't expecting."

"Well by the looks of things, she found the culprit." Both detectives halted their steps, staring at each other with a worried look on their faces. Luna, who was behind the pack, had to stop as well when she noticed them.

She rolled her eyes and sidestepped them, allowing their dogs to catch up. "She should not have gone alone." Banehallow said, increasing his pace to catch up with the lieutenant. "What is she even hoping to accomplish on her own?"

"That, not even I know, Detective." Gondar responded.

"She just didn't show up at the Guard Hall earlier this week." Slardar told them. "The day before was when the higher ups finally told her to drop the case. I immediately contacted Gondar."

"And now we're here." The bounty hunter said, gesturing to a locked and decrepit warehouse. Slardar stepped aside, allowing Gondar to take the lead.

"Damn, this place looks sealed shut." Davion commented, as the five of them stood facing the locked entrance of the warehouse. "How do we get in?"

The bounty hunter pointed upwards, the four other heads followed his direction. He then pointed to the side, showing them a ladder that leads to the rooftop. "Upwards and onwards." He said, passing smoke out of his nostrils.

And so they followed. Gondar headed them, already reaching the top, with Slardar behind him, chasing by enthusiastically. Luna wasn't far behind, casually trekking up with her bat held in her arms. The detectives covered the rear end, having the hardest time ascending the ladder as they used one arm to carry the senior detective's canine companions. Davion however was having a hard time keeping up; he's not as physically strong as Banehallow, and he's already carrying a shield on his back. The panting dog just added more to his burdens.

It came to no surprise that he was on his hands when he arrived on the rooftop. All eyes except that of the Guard Lieutenant stared down on him, casually waiting for him. A light snicker here and a chuckle there could be heard from them.

Nudged by the Alsatian that he had carried, he gathered himself and joined the rest, following Gondar's lead once more.

"You have a tracker on her?" Luna asked.

"Managed to plant one only four days ago." Gondar explained. "But it still wasn't easy following her. She's good at loosing anybody that chases her."

"You'd expect nothing less of her." The Lord of House Ambry said admiringly. "She knows Elze like the back of her hand, which what made her so terrifying before she took the mantle of Guard Captain."

"So the tracker led you here?" Davion questioned. "Is she alright?"

"The tracker shows that there's still life signs, so she's definitely still alive." The bounty hunter told them.

"You didn't check on her beforehand?"

"I did. Just a glimpse." He added. "Then I called Slardar, and now we're all here."

He stopped in front of an open skylight, crouching down and motioning the others to do so. The peered inside, seeing nothing but the darkened interior. "What are we supposed to be looking at here?" Davion asked.

Gondar silenced them, and pointed towards the darkness. They waited patiently, carefully trying to pick apart anything they could. Fortunately for them, a crackling of thunder and lightning bathed the warehouse in momentary illumination, and their eyes widened at what they had caught a glimpse of.

There leaning on a wall of crates with her hands chained together was the Guard Captain. They couldn't make more out of it from the short flash of light, but they did catch the other figures inside. A prone battered heavy set man and a heavily scarred, topless man, arms bloodied and cyan eyes shining through the darkness.

"Is Slithice alright?" Luna asked. She heard drawn out breaths from her side, seeing Slardar fuming with tranquil rage. She clamped her hand on his shoulder in an attempt to calm him down.

"Told you before. The tracker says she's still alive." Gondar took out the tracker in question, inspecting it with his own eyes. "In fact, by the looks of this, she's actually awake. Lots of adrenaline pumping."

"Then we got to get ourselves inside." The older detective motioned, gripping his rifle.

"Not without a plan." Gondar reminded. "There's something not right with that guy, and I'm sure you can all feel it."

Davion readjusted himself, still staring into the void below. "What's he doing, anyway? Has he been sitting there this entire time?"

"He seems to be waiting." Slardar stated.

As if on cue, the sound of a phone ringing filled the warehouse. Light appeared in the darkness as the man looked down on it. He held it close to his face and answered.

"**_Arkosh._**"

The five above felt there skin crawl as those words left the man's mouth.

A dark and earthy sound emanated from the man's phone, a language so dark that the very foundation of the land shook with subtle ferocity that they wouldn't have noticed if they weren't so on edge. Their culprit slowly nodded along as the words from the phone continued rambling. Slardar had shifted away from the rest, eyes closed as he pinched the bridge of his nose, afraid that he would lose control to his rage.

Banehallow already aimed his rifle, his eyes already adjusted to the darkness below. He quelled the growls of his dogs as to not alert the Marauder of their presence. Davion himself was gripping his shield tightly, his other hand hovering over his makeshift grenades. Gondar kept his eye on his tracker, checking Slithice's vitals with Luna peering over him.

"**_Izhai icha ahm'safras, Arkosh._**" the man said. "_**Omoz icha gluth izhai!**_"

He closed his phone, taking the light away from it. Although they couldn't see a thing as the warehouse was darkened once more, they could hear heavy footsteps. The light on Gondar's tracker started beeping, gradually becoming more frequent.

"You know, I targeted fugitives just so you Guards wouldn't be on my tail." The man announced, spitting close to Slithice's form. "Apparently that didn't cut it."

A gunshot filled the room, followed with anguished cries of pain. "And now, not only do I have you here, but I've been informed by the Master that your backup has finally arrived."

"What?!" Slithice replied incredulously. "I was all by myself, I never brought anyone along!"

"Irrelevant." He kicked Slithice at her gut. "They're here. That's all that matters." The sound of a gun clicking filled them with worry. "Let's see how they'll feel when they see your corpse chained up on the wall!"

"Mooooo!"

The sound of objects falling and bodies tumbling filled the air instead of the gun fire that they were dreading. Slardar went up to Banehallow, who still had his eye down the sights. "What's going on?!" he half whispered.

"That man that was on the ground, he got up and tackled our suspect." The detective said, his eyes still focused on the scene below.

"Did he just 'moo'?" Luna asked.

"That must be Barathrum." Gondar told them. "Looks like he escaped prison again."

"We need to get down there, and fast!" Davion exclaimed to the rest. "Especially while they're all preoccupied, we can get Slithice out of there and deal with them."

The Guard Lieutenant shook his head at them. "We need a plan. We can't just rush down there. Did any of you hear the language he was speaking? He's definitely not normal."

"I've heard that before. What was it?" Luna questioned. She got shrugs and shook heads replied to her.

"That's Ozkavosh." Gondar announced. "Also known as the Devil's Tongue, or something to that effect." He shut off his tracker and pulled out another cigarette. He gazed at the four people that were staring at him expectantly as he lit the smoke. "Alright, this is what we'll do…."

Down below, the darkened warehouse was filled with the sounds of struggling and commotion as the battered man known as Barathrum carried the Marauder along his charges, breaking the various crates that were around them. The bound Guard Captain struggled to free her hands out of the chains, blood already staining her wrists. Inside her head, she had constantly berated herself for not coming in better prepared, and now thanks to her there were others that had come to help her.

_Guess I need to do that._ she thought, bringing her hands together. She clutched her thumb, holding it tightly. She was hesitant for a moment, but steeled herself. "First time for everything." She whispered, before dislocating her thumb. She bit her tongue to quell her cries, holding them from alerting the two that were fighting. She slowly slithered her hand out of the cuff, staring at the dislocated thumb. She thought of putting it back in place, but decided against it, afraid on the off chance of making it worse.

She turned her gaze to where the sounds were coming from, noting that it had gotten quieter. However, from the shapes she could make out, they weren't that far away from her. With the both of them busy with themselves, she pondered on her next course of action. Then she felt hands cover her mouth and another around her waist, holding her in place. She heard someone shush her at the edge of her ear, and turned to see the familiar eyes of the barista. The fleeting panic disappeared in a moment's notice, as she couldn't help but calm down upon seeing Luna.

As the barista let her hand off Slithice's mouth, the Guard Captain asked her. "Why are you here? Are there others?"

"Yeah, don't worry. We have a plan." Luna said assuringly to the Guard Captain.

A bright light emitted from the other end of the warehouse, its cone covering the two men, revealing the charger already defeated as he lay sprawled on the ground. The Marauder stood above him, shielding his eyes from the sudden light. The light itself on managed to clip Slithice, with Luna hiding behind her.

"Marauder, stand down!" Slardar yelled. "Put your hands behind your head and comply. We will not hesitate to use force if you choose to disobey!"

The Marauder laughed, amused at the lieutenant's attempt. "Here all alone? You'd need an **army** to stop me!"

"We can arrange that." Slardar said, adjusting the flashlight on his head as he aimed his pistol.

The Marauder aimed his as well, unperturbed by the Guard Lieutenant's threat. He wasn't, however, expecting to see a glass bottle rolling its way towards him. He looked down, confused, but his eyes widened when he heard the ticking. He had no time to respond, as the makeshift grenade blew up in a cloud of blue smoke. He felt his movements stiffen, slowed as an artificial cold held his body. His whole body was shook as a shield collided with him, pinning him onto the crates.

"Always wanted to use that." The younger detective said, holding the Marauder in place. "Slardar, get over here!"

The Lieutenant holstered his gun and brandished his baton, making his way to back Davion up, who was struggling in holding the Marauder in place. It wasn't long till the effects of his homemade grenade wore off, allowing the Marauder to free himself, pushing the riot shield away from him. Seeing the Lieutenant already about to strike him, he decided to meet him head on, blocking the baton with his gun.

Barathrum, still on the ground with his hand clutching his side, tried to get off the ground when he saw the Lieutenant appear. He felt weight on his back, pinning him to the ground.

"You're not going anywhere." Banehallow said, aiming his rifle at the commotion. "You're coming with us."

His dogs appeared next to him, growling at the pinned convict. For once, he sighed a breath of relief. "Don't mind it this time, Detective."

"What's wrong with your thumb?" Slithice flinched at the question, having focused her attention on the others that have arrived. She glanced back at Luna, seeing the barista hold her hand.

"I dislocated it." Slithcie told her, feeling a twinge of pain as Luna's fingers glossed over it. "Needed to get out of the cuffs."

Luna nodded and held the hand with both of hers. "I'll put it back."

Slithice shook her head urgently. "No, no-" but once again, she forced herself to stifle the cry of pain as Luna did as she said so. After a moment of pain, Slithice was able to move her thumb again.

"So what's wrong with this Marauder, Slithice?" the barista questioned, seeing both Slardar and Davion struggle against the aforementioned Marauder, even with the help of Banehallow's dogs.

"Aside from being a psychopath?" Luna broke the last cuff that was still chained with her hand using the butt of her bat, freeing Slithice from the chains. "He's not normal, which is probably something you guys already found out. But this power, this _Master_ of his, it's something far dangerous that what I expected."

"How'd you found that out?"

"From my little meeting with Angelo." Luna scowled at the mention of the mob boss. "Turns out he knew more than just a thing or two about the Demon of Kivuli."

"If you knew that, then why did you go out on your own?" Luna berated.

"It's because I was told of the Marauder's whereabouts for the whole week." The Captain retorted. "I had to act, and I couldn't bring anyone from the Guards down with me, especially when I was told to stop the case."

"This whole thing is killing you, Slithice." The Guard Captain wasn't surprised when she heard the bounty hunter speak. "Let us handle things now, just sit by and watch."

Slithcie turned her head to face the bounty hunter, but he was gone before she could even let out a word. In his place however was Banehallow, with a handcuffed Barathrum being lead to the ground. "You're not gonna join them?" Banehallow asked Luna.

"Not yet." She replied, just staring at the Marauder, as if expecting something to happen.

The Marauder now stood in between Slardar and Davion, all three of them tired from their exertions. The standoff held strong, with the Marauder barely able to keep up with the Lieutenant and Detective, but the two of them know that they were at the disadvantage, since it took the two of them to keep the Marauder at bay.

"Now, why don't you people let me be on my way, and no longer see each other?" The Marauder said to them, holding out a dagger on one hand and a pistol on another, aiming it at his assailants.

Slardar scoffed, more impressed that the Marauder had the gall to suggest such a thing. "I have a better idea. Surrender."

"Or we can do this the hard way." Davion added, holding a red colored grenade behind his shield.

"Very well." The Marauder's body began quivering. "Then you shall taste my pow- AH!"

Behind him, the bounty hunter had emerged, with his knife piercing through the Marauder's abdomen. "_Mont he'em rato._" he uttered.

Luna was now rushing in, bat held tight and already swinging forward and colliding on the Marauder's face, launching him farther down on the ground. With Gondar and Luna taking their places, both Davion and Slardar relaxed their shoulders, happy to switch places.

The Marauder was now holding his bleeding face, leaving the knife still on him as Luna and Gondar stood above him, his face contorting to a hateful scowl. "You will pay." He said lightly as his body began quivering again.

Then his eyes began glowing, fire slowly enveloped his hands along with his wounds. As he slowly got off the ground, the others backed off except Luna and Gondar, looking unfazed at the development in front of their very eyes. The Marauder stood taller than before, menacing as always as he towered before them, a sinister smile on his scarred face. "_**Eyik Ozh poz!**_"

He wasn't expecting the bat to coming heading towards his face again, barely catching it with his hands. Luna put all her strength in trying to hold the Marauder in place, her face bearing a flat expression. "I've faced the devil himself. A petty demon like you isn't even worth noticing."

"Hm yes, I've heard of that." He retaliated, his voice carrying a low reverberation. "I had planned to come for you when I finished with the Charger. It's good to see you can put up a fight."

A concussive shot struck the Marauder on his wounded abdomen, shaking his footing off balance. Glancing at the bounty hunter, he held his free fist up in the air, the flame slowly becoming bigger before it was launched at Gondar, who effortlessly dodged it. "_**Ensh izh miskath!**_"

Slithice looked as distressed as ever, the worry in her increasing tenfold seeing her friends risking their lives. Especially the tired Slardar that had crouched down beside her, checking to see if she was okay. "Never do that again." He told her.

Slithice rolled her eyes at him, touched that he still cared. "I could say the same to you."

"Okay, looks like he really wasn't normal." Davion commented when he joined the rest. "There's gotta be something we can do."

"Sing." All four heads looked down to the escaped convict. He himself looked up at them. "Isn't that what stopped the Demon of Kivuli years ago? Should still be the same."

"You know of the Demon of Kivuli?" Slithice asked.

The convict huffed a scoff at the question. "I was there when Angelo recruited people to bring that freak down. And that's what he did."

"If what you're saying is true, then it shouldn't be just some random song." The older Detective informed.

"It's better than nothing." He stayed quiet after that, not having anything more to say.

"Slithice, do you have… what's wrong?" Slardar asked, his initial question put on hold when he noticed Slithice's wide eyes.

She took out a piece of paper from her back pocket, her hands shaking as she held it for the others. "What is that?" Davion asked, confused.

Slithice felt her mouth dry up, instead just showing the contents of it to them. "Is that, the song?" Banehallow questioned, more surprised than confused.

"Who gave you that?" Slardar asked after them, thinking that this was too good to be true.

"I got it, from the same person that told me where the Marauder was." She answered shakily. Shaking her head, she tried to stand up. "Help me."

The Lieutenant did as was requested, placing the Captain's arm around his shoulder as to steady her. The Guard Captain observed the ongoing fight, pleased to see Luna and Gondar looking better than the Marauder, but he still didn't looked worse for wear. She held the piece of paper, close enough so she could read it, took in a lungful of air, and sang.

"_Lingsir wengi…_" The Marauder halted his movements, his gaze slowly turning to the Guard Captain. Luna and Gondar backed slightly, waiting for further movements.

"_Sliramu tumeking sirno._" the Marauder's flames dissipated, slowly turning him back. Slithice could only see his face thanks to his still glowing eyes, a scared, almost childlike expression laden on it.

She breathed in again. "_Ojo tangi nggonmu guling…_" but a sudden crack and thud stopped her from continuing the song.

With the darkness enveloping the room again, she glanced to Slardar, urging him to turn his flashlight back on. With a click, light shone in front of them again, allowing them to see what had happened. Luna had struck the Marauder at the back of his head, who was now unconscious on the ground with Gondar on his back, tying his hands.

She closed her eyes, happy to be done with it all, now at least the Marauder caught. She didn't even realize that she herself had fallen unconscious as well, as the wounds her body had acquired finally took its toll on her.

_A Week Later_

Slardar leaned against the wall, waiting impatiently for the meeting inside as he tapped his foot intermittently. He was in the corridor for close to an hour, his fellow Guards careful when they moved around him as to not raise his agitated anger. The sound of the door knob turning put him at attention, straightening him for the one who would appear.

Slithice, with a packed box of her belongings, slowly closed the door she had left. When she turned away, she froze when her eyes met Slardar's, smiling at his concern. "So what's their call?"

She shook her head, sighing sadly at him. "I think you know, Slardar."

Slithice moved down the hallway, nodding appreciatively at everyone who stood by and saluted her. Slardar paced right behind her, a part of him wanting to stop her right where she stood but another knew that doing so would change nothing. The former eventually won out, catching Slithice by her arm. He wanted to speak out but no words could be formed.

Slithice glanced back, understanding what he felt. Her eyes were red but the tears were held. She faced Slardar, patting the taller man on his shoulder. "Take care of the Guards, _Guard Captain._"

Slardar, the newly promoted Guard Captain, broke down before his former superior. A scene no one would ever thought of: a burly man breaking down in tears in front of a smaller woman. He brought Slithice into a tight hug, still unwilling to let go.

She patted him on his back, silently letting the hug go. She glanced to the rest of the Guards in the room, seeing them stare back at her, some filled with faces of regret, some already in tears themselves, while some looking away. She smiled at all of them and gave them one final salute. Slowly, each and every single one of them returned the salute. Slithice let a small trickle of tear out, gave them a silent thanks and bid the Guard Hall goodbye for what appears to be the last time. And with that, she opened the door and walked out.

She was slightly surprised to see Luna on her bike and Gondar leaning on said bike, waiting. Gondar flicked the spent cigarette to a nearby trash can before he approached the former Guard Captain. He planted his hand on her shoulder, nodded at her and left. A simple message sent as he disappeared into the crowd.

With just the two of them, Slithice approached the barista, albeit unsurely. A spare helmet was planted on her head by Luna. "Get on." She said as she closed her own helmet's visor. "I'll take you to your apartment, then we're heading to Dark Moon."

Slithice cautiously got on the purple bike, making sure her box was carefully held. "So soon? Don't I get a little reprieve?"

Luna scoffed, turning her head to glance at her friend. "You've got enough. Selemene wants to break you in as quickly as possible."

Slithice giggled behind a forming smirk. "I guess things work differently in Dark Moon, huh?"

"You bet your ass." Luna pulled Slithice's free hand around her own waist. "You'll love working there."

As the purple bike sped off, Slithice pondered on her new future prospects. As she closed a completed chapter in her life, she braced herself as she started a new one.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

phew, that took forever.

so, few things:

1\. for those who want to know what was written in Ozakavosh, i think it'll be more fun if you guys deciphered it on your own. searching "Ozkavosh" on google would lead you to a google document to help you out.

2\. the song is a Javanese folklore song, and this is the full one:

Lingsir wengi… sliramu tumeking sirno  
Ojo tangi nggonmu guling…  
Awas jo ngetoro  
Aku lagi bang wingo wingo  
Jin setan kang tak utusi  
Dadyo sebarang  
Wojo lelayu sebet

which roughly means:

Towards the night... you will disappear  
Do not wake up from you bed...  
Beware, do not show yourself  
I am in deep anger  
Djinns and devils I command  
As agents  
to take your life

based on its meaning, it's a song that's sung after nightly prayers to dissuade the supernatural from disturbing you. of course, thanks to modern interpretation and some horror movies, people have come to think that the song means that by singing it, one calls such creatures (a kuntilanak, dyi) to appear before you.

well, with that out of the way, hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!


	66. A Midsummer Noon

**A Midsummer Noon**

Puck stared into her phone, reading an article she found as she was browsing through the boredom. Her feet were swinging back and forth beneath the stool while her head swayed left to right. She laughed to herself when she found the article's joke to be funny, before returning the silent contemplation she had before. She was minding her own business when she felt a hand cover the top of her head, ruffling her blue-striped hair. She looked up from her phone, her eyes contacting Luna's, who stared back down at her.

"Don't you have school?" Luna asked, confused at the thought that had popped in her head. "You've been here for five months already; I doubt any kid could skip out for that long."

"That's because I'm homeschooled!" The young dream seer said with a smile, sticking her tongue out at the barista.

"So who's your teacher then, your mom?" Luna asked again.

"Mhm." Puck replied with a nod. "And she said she wants me to finish this before going home."

Luna gazed at Puck, her brow raised at the statement. "So she's fine with you staying here?"

"Mhm." She responded. She shook Luna's hand off of her head and return to her phone.

With Luna leaving her peripheral vision, she heard the shifting of movements around her, indicating the bustling activity of the rush hour that was prevalent at the time of day. She was tired of staying at Mirana's apartment for most of the day when the manager had to leave for work. The young girl smiled, remembering the tantrum she threw. Her act was laughable at best, but it was still enough for Mirana to cave in and bring Puck along.

And now she's all by her lonesome again, despite being in an almost crowded coffee shop. Ever since the televised feature from Outer Rim News, there have been more people dropping by the coffee shop, thus meaning more work for the Selemene's employees. She wished there was someone who would keep her company; she never liked her phone anyway, most of the time it was boring to her.

"Hey there young one." She jumped on her seat when she heard a breath pass by her ear. With her hand moving to cover said ear, she turned on the stool to face the offender, seeing an extremely pale looking woman in a peculiar robe white robe, her back flat as she bowed down to meet Puck's level. Her smile was almost contagious. "Is this seat taken?" she pointed to the empty stool beside Puck.

The young girl shook her head, but stayed silent. There was something odd about this woman in front of her, the thought that sat at the back of her mind, but she couldn't place it. She smiled her usual childish smile at the woman that chose to sit beside her, her kept gaze ended up drawing the woman's attention. She instead responded in kind, staring back at Puck, initiating an impromptu staring contest.

Although they were too preoccupied to notice, Luna appeared before them to address the new patron, but was instead staring herself at the scene, wondering what was going on. Her face contorted to a look of bewilderment, unsure of where this was heading. She decided on ending it before it leads to anything.

She faked a cough, alerting the two of her presence. Puck turned a slight shade of pink while the woman merely smiled at Luna. "Is there anything you want?" the barista asked.

"I'll have what my brother usually gets." The woman said.

"Your… brother?" Luna asked for clarification, wondering what it meant.

"Yes." The pale woman replied. "You've met two of them, in fact."

"Two of them… brothers…" Luna looked off to the side, searching for the answer that she thought was at the back of her head. "Oh, _those_ two. You look nothing like them."

"Yes, I get that a lot." the woman said, covering her mouth bashfully as she laughed.

"Do you really want your brother's drink?" Luna asked for clarity. "It's not really healthy."

"Oh, don't mind me." She replied with a wave. "I can drink anything he drinks."

"Alright." Luna said, leaving to create the order.

The woman turned on her stool, her whole body now facing the young Puck, who was still staring at her albeit with more curiosity than suspicion. "How do you like the city, Puck?"

"It's alright, but I don't go out much." Puck answered. She blinked with shocked confusion when she noticed something. "How do you know my name?"

The woman placed her hand on Puck's cheek, gently caressing it. "Just because." Her hand then met Puck's, a handshake exchanged. "You can call me Priestess Io."

The young dream seer looked relax when the priestess introduced herself. "Io. I've heard that name before."

"Of course." The priestess replied surely. "It's no surprise that a person with your abilities would glance to my existence."

"Existence?" Puck tilted her head in a childlike manner. "Why are you talking like that?"

"You'll understand soon when you're older, child." The priestess said, before glancing back at an approaching Luna.

"Here you go. Just like his." Luna said as she placed the odd orange looking drink.

Priestess Io nodded appreciatively at the barista, taking the drink and slowly sipping it. As Luna watched Io consume the drink, she felt a pair of small hands circle around hers. Turning to the adolescent, Luna eyed Puck oddly, wondering what the young girl was thinking.

"The Priestess is weird, Luna." Puck warned. Luna found the sentiment laughable.

"You haven't met her brothers yet." She responded, sending the young dream seer reeling back. "Speaking of, why are you here? Is there something happening around?" Luna asked the priestess.

Io shook her head when she planted the now empty glass down. "No. Just came by for the concert. This drink tastes horrendous, by the way. I don't understand how he'd like this."

Luna shrugged, agreeing with the statement. "I just made what he wanted. Never questioned."

"Hey Luna. What concert is she talking about? Is there something going on tonight?" Puck interjected.

"Oh, nothing really." Luna said, tousling Puck's hair once more. "Just our newest employee about to perform."

"Where? I don't see anyone new."

Luna smiled at the girl's curiosity. She looked up, searching the room before lighting up when finding who she wanted. "Magi! Come here!"

In a moment, the solo male waiter appeared behind them, holding an empty tray by his side. "What?"

"Call out Slithice. She should be ready by now."

The waiter nodded the request before leaving for the break room. "When did she start?" Puck asked.

"She came by yesterday so 'Mene could give her a talking to." Luna explained. "Don't know what they talked about though."

"She'll be out shortly." Magina announced as he joined Luna, leaning on the counter between Puck and the priestess.

"How's your brother doing?" Io asked Magina.

The waiter stared at the priestess as if she had two heads, more confused at what she had said. "What? I don't have a brother."

"Hm, alright." Io closed, humming knowingly as she turned on her stool to face the still empty stage. Magina meanwhile looked to Luna for clarification, but the barista simply shoved the waiter with her own shoulder.

Then at the edge of their periphery, their former Captain of the Guards emerge, dressed in a teal sundress with her orange-tinge hair tied to a short ponytail, bangs barely covering her yellow eyes. She wore a pair of white headphones, used mostly as her head accessory. Beneath her graced look, her body was still covered in bandages, a bracer keeping her wrist in check with her leg fully casted, leaving her limping along.

She turned to her immediate audience and greeted them with a short bow until eventually locking eyes with the barista. "How do I look?" she asked.

"Weird." Luna answered instantly. Magina sputtered a protest, wondering why Luna would say that. "Never seen you in a dress before."

Slithice laughed, clearly amused at the barista's response. "I haven't worn one since my last recital back in high school."

"Then I'm sure you'll knock the ball out of the park." Luna said, leaning forward slightly so she could smack Slithice on her back from the other side of the counter. "Get out there."

Slithice smiled and made her way towards the stage, the light chatter fading as the patrons saw her. Even the other waitresses stopped where they stood as they braced themselves for the upcoming performance.

"Have you heard her sing before?" Puck asked again, her eyes glued on Slithice.

"Just a little bit." Luna answered, flinging her arm around the shorter waiter.

"You have high expectations of her, Luna." Magina remarked.

"I'm sure you would too if you heard her." Io said offhandedly.

After testing the mic, Slithice adjusted it right in front of her, addressing the people that were waiting for her. It was a feeling she hadn't felt in a long time, and the sensation came back to her system in full force. Her smile widened beyond what she was used to, and she loved it. She could almost cry just from reminiscing this feeling, but she had a job to do. And she's going to damn well nail it.

"Lovely afternoon today, isn't it?" she said to the mic, earning a few laughs and giggles. "A perfect atmosphere, if I do say so myself."

"For my first ever performance here in the Dark Moon, I hope you don't mind me going back to my operatic roots."

"Not at all!" someone said from the audience, eliciting more light laughters.

"Very well. This song is about the love of a mother to her daughter."

The whole room went silent when Slithice drew in a full breath. Her face calm with a serene smile, she opened her mouth at let the lyrics pour through.

"_Cara bel, cara mia bella!  
__Mia bambina, oh ciel!  
__Che ella stima!  
__Che ella stima!  
__O cara mia, addio!_

_La mia bambina cara...  
__perché non passi lontana?  
__Sì, lontana da Scienza!  
__Cara, cara mia bambina..._

_Ah, mia bel!  
__Ah, mia cara!  
__Ah, mia cara!  
__Ah, mia bambina!  
__Oh cara, cara mia..._"

The audience erupted with applauds, moved by Slithice's performance. She herself was moved to tears by their reception of her. Both Puck and Magina had their mouths wide open, not expecting such a level.

"Wow, her voice was beautiful!" Puck said admiringly. "You're right, Luna. She's great!"

"Where that woman go?" Magina said out of the blue, turning Puck's attention from the stage. "I thought she wanted to watch."

"Did the priestess just disappear?" Puck asked.

"She did say she was here just to watch the 'concert'." Luna explained. "You two should be quiet, Slithcie is going to sing again."

She shushed them and made them face the stage again as Slithice prepared another song to perform. With her addition, they knew the Dark Moon's atmosphere had changed for the better.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

TI5 hype. 6.84 hype. anyone else excited for Enigma's new items? i know i am. i'm gonna be fat broke because of it.

anyway, back to the chapter. a short fluffy piece after the rowdiness of the past few. also, style points for anyone who knows where that song came from. hint: it's not old.

once again, thanks for reading!


	67. A Monk's Short Walk

**A Monk's Short Walk**

"_So you're not gonna come to work today?_"

"No, just for today." Magina said as he walked down the street, conversing on his phone. "I already called Selemene, so don't worry about it." He added.

"_Don't you bail on us again. Or Luna's gonna find you and kick your ass._" Magina nervously chuckled when he heard Mirana's threat.

"Look, I'm not running off again." He assured her. "I just need to cool off. And with how crazy Dark Moon's getting, I think it'll be better somewhere else, don't you agree?"

Mirana didn't respond immediately, almost leaving Magina hanging. "_Lanaya's wondering if this is about the cult that chased you._"

The waiter halted his trek, the concept of such a thing having only returned to the surface of his thoughts that moment. He verbally cursed. "I wasn't really thinking about them, but tell Lanaya thanks for making me nervous."

"_I'll pass on the message._" She said, ending it with a giggle. "_See you tomorrow._"

"Yeah." A click sounded the end of the call. He sighed as he pocketed his phone, continuing on his trek.

But thanks to that, he suddenly felt like he was being watched, as if a trail of eyes had unveiled themselves at that moment. He surveyed his surroundings, looking at nearby alleys, stores and parked cars for anybody watching him. He quickened his pace, loudly cursing for being reminded of the situation that he had escaped from.

Lost in his own worries, his shoulder bumped into someone going the other way. A scowl formed on his face when he met the other person, lowering a bit when it was a familiar face.

"Oh, it's the waiter from Dark Moon." A particular redhead said, also scowling at him.

His eyes looked down on her, with Lina's face turning a shade of red when she suspected him of leering at her. "You're not carrying a crutch anymore."

Her features lightened when she found out that Magina had not acted pervertedly. She glanced down onto her braced leg, flexing her toes. She smiled. "Yeah, the doctor said I don't need it anymore."

"Must've been great." He told her in a flat tone.

"A **huge** load off my shoulders. Took quite a while since I wasn't using modern medicine, but it was worth it."

"You don't like modern medicine?" he asked her.

"More like I didn't like the doctor that was treating me before." Lina explained. "The guy is such an asshole."

"Yeah, well, see ya later." He said, wanting to go ahead with his walk and not even bothering with hearing her reply.

Of course because he was keeping an eye out for some cultists to be on his feet, it didn't take much for him to notice that the slightly cripple redhead to be following him, hobbling along behind him not too far away from him. He tried ignoring her, but her shuffling just got in his head too much. He turned and met her again, shocking her for a brief moment and pulled her by her wrist.

"What- what're you doing?" Lina protested.

"If you're gonna follow me, you're gonna follow at my pace." He barked out, almost causing the limping girl to trip over.

"Jeez, slow down, man. It's like you're being stalked or something." Lina said.

Magina kept quiet after Lina's statement hit a little close to home. He let the redhead ramble on as he drag her along with him. Everything was just white noise to him, his senses tuning everything about so he could better get a feel of his surroundings. It made him feel better, but getting nothing still meant his current issue wasn't solved.

As the shorter arm hit the twelve hour mark, and their stomachs grumbling from the hunger that filled its gap, they took a break, leaning on an office building. Lina was still talking, much to his annoyance, but he was glad that he didn't have to humor her in any manner. A nondescript man approached him, handing him two wrapped hotdogs. He handed one to Lina, who took it without glancing his way, and paid the man before munching down his own meal.

During this short moment of reprieve, he felt an enormous hand engulf his neck and pull him towards a nearby alleyway, holding him up high and pinning him against the wall. Magina stared down at the man holding him, eyes wide with shock as he realized who he was.

"Sv-Sven, what're you doing?" he asked, trying to get the larger man's grip off.

"Magina, are you compromised?" Sven asked.

"What do you think?" Magina choked out. "I should be asking you that!"

"Let him go." Sven turned his head to see Lina staring at him.

Sven, realizing the compromising situation he was in, dropped the waiter he was choking, now scratching the back of his head. As Magina tried to catch his breath again, he glanced at Lina, silently thankful for her appearing at the right time.

"Don't call the Guards." He told her. "This is nothing serious?"

"Are you crazy? The guy was choking you, and you're letting him go?!"

"He's not gonna run away." Magina stated. He slowly straightened himself, looking up at Sven. "Are you?"

"Maybe." Sven replied.

"What are you even doing here, in the city?" Magina asked. "I thought you said you're wanted by the City Guards."

"I needed some reassurance." He said to the shorter man. "I haven't heard from anyone else in a year. You were heard to contact since you've gone radio silent."

"Why are you two acting like spies?" Lina questioned, suspicious of their behavior and Magina's friendliness with the larger man.

"Just, hold on, red." Magina said offhandedly, before returning to Sven. "So the others were quiet. You didn't need to attack me in broad daylight."

"Yeah, apologies. But I was worried that the cult might have gotten their hands on you."

"Well, we know they don't have their roots in Elze anymore, so whatever presence they have here is external." He looked back at Lina, calming the older sister with a show of his hand. "Just, get out of the city. You know the City Guards are looking for you."

"Yeah, yeah." Sven sighed with relief. He took a helmet stashed behind him, putting it on his head. "Just glad there's still someone out there."

"Stay safe, you maniac." Magina said to the retreating Sven.

"Likewise."

As the both of them looked at Sven's back, waiting till he was gone from their sights, he turned to exit the alley but was met with Lina, looking at him suspiciously.

"What's going on here, punk?" Lina's pointed finger poked Magina on his chest. "Are you an anarchist or something? Do you have something malicious planned behind your back?"

"Nah, nothing like that." He picked up the hotdog that he dropped, brushing off the dust that had gathered on it. He took a bite and was happy with the taste as he walked out the alley, Lina towing behind him.

"You're not gonna explain to me what it was? You said he's wanted by the City Guard? What's that about?" Lina pestered on.

"He's like some vigilante back in the day." Magina told her.

"What about that cult you said before?" If Magina's mouth wasn't full, he would've cursed again. "You're acting awfully suspicious, especially since you're not at work."

"Look, Lina, was it? Just, lay off. This is just some things that people don't need to get involved in." He explained to her without stopping his steps. "The girls back at Dark Moon know what I'm dealing with, and I told them because I'm sure nothing would befall them. But you're just a random bystander. I don't need to tell you a damn thing. Especially since you're a disabled, you'll just end up causing problems to me."

"No need to be such a dick about it." Lina responded, her face contorting with anger."If you said no, I would've dropped it."

At this, the waiter spun around and closed the gap between him and Lina, their noses barely touching. "Would you?" he asked her rhetorically. "You're Lanaya's friend, aren't you? And I know her. Always curious, always asking questions, acquiring as much secrets as she can. There's nothing stopping her other than Luna or Mirana."

"You sound like you hate her."

"I don't hate her, but I find that aspect of her character insanely annoying." He sighed, trying to keep his temper from spiraling out of control. "If you're really not gonna ask me anything, then we part ways here."

"You're gonna leave a disabled person on her own?" she teased.

"Yes." She was disappointed at his immediate answer. "You were doing fine before, so why don't you go off on your own again, huh? Bye."

He left the redhead where she stood, already making leaps ahead of her so she couldn't catch up. Lina looked around, finding a nearby bench and resting on it. She gazed at the direction where he disappeared to, a scowl on her face. "Such fun _that_ guy was…" She'd need to tell Lanaya about this, and maybe the part-time waitress could shed some light why he was like so.

With that put on hold, she took out her phone, dialing the number of her blonde younger sister. She waited, and waited, until. "_Hello?_"

"Hey Rylai, can you pick me up? I'm three blocks south of Heroes Lane." Lina declared.

"_Seriously? Lina, just because Doctor Zharvakko said you don't need a crutch anymore doesn't mean you could run off to God knows where._"

"I had no classes, and I was bored."

"_Ugh, fine. Stay put, I'll be there soon._"

Lina laughed, still happy that she could have Rylai around. "See ya later sis." She hung up on the blonde and waited, alone on the bench as people passed by her. The waiter's suspicious behavior still fresh in her mind. _Maybe I should talk about it to someone else._

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

eyo, looks like we'll be touching another arc soon! anyone else you'd guys like to see as well?

hope you enjoyed this short one! thanks for reading!


	68. Bookworm's Heir

**Bookworm's Heir**

The Radiant Dorms were shuffling with activity, though not the kind that is usually persistent throughout the year. Many seniors-turned-graduates were either packing their belongings or already leaving the premises, eager to open a new chapter in their lives. Sometimes seen as an annual event for them.

In one of the soon to be vacant rooms, a small number of people were assisting two girls with their own luggage. A man wearing a wooden mask that was slightly propped up, exposing his mouth, was sitting on the edge of the bed, gulping down a bottle of water to recuperate. A veiled young woman with a green scarf was on the floor, filing books into a box.

"Yo, you two." A huge, tanned man entered the room, knocking on the opened door. "Busy, huh?" he went over to one of the already packed boxes, crouching down to pick it up.

"Where's Lyra and Trax, Al?" Lanaya asked without glancing away from the books she was packing.

"Across the street, talking to the landlord and shit." He replied as he stood up.

"Found a place to stay, Al?" Yurnero asked as he got back to work.

"Nah, but I'm crashing at Professor Darkbrew's place. Also working as his assistant slash test subject." The former senior answered.

"So just like college?" Lanaya said with a chuckle.

"Hey, gotta have something to do so I won't end up as a bum." Al said, as he left the room again.

The quietness filled the room again as the two of them enjoyed the serenity that is the atmosphere they're working in. It was soon broken when a certain redhead passed by. Seeing her friends inside the room, she joined them, taking a seat on the bed. They continued working as if they didn't notice she had entered, barely acknowledging her existence. She sighed at how completely caught in the work they were.

"You guys sure are having fun." She said, alerting them of her presence. "Been wandering around the building looking for you."

"Isn't Jah'rakal free, lazing about somewhere?" the masked student said to Lina.

"Oh, I'm sure he'd be _great_ company, Yurnero." Lina said. "I was so bored on my own."

"Then why don't you help us? We could use the hand." Lanaya said to the redhead.

Lina sighed tiredly, not having anything else better to do. "Sure, why not."

And so, Lina sat beside Yurnero, helping him store the two archers' belongings, joining them as they continued emptying the soon to be vacant room.

"Anybody gonna move in here?" Lina asked, not really liking the silence.

"Unless Jah'rakal wants to get off his ass, then no." Yurnero replied.

"I'm still liking my solo room, thank you very much." Lanaya said after. "Although I'm sure the Techies would love this place."

"Yeah, they took a solo room because they're small, and they wouldn't take up much space." Yurnero and Lina glanced at each other, sighing together. "If it were just two of them, it wouldn't be that absurd."

"Yeah, it's hard to understand those three." Lina added.

"Hey Lina, where'd Rylai run off to?" Lanaya asked, curious as to the whereabouts of the blonde.

A sad look took its place on Lina's features, surprising the two. "She went to The Garths, somewhere near Vegrandis Peak."

"Leaving you all alone here?" Yurnero commented with a chuckle.

"I don't need that tone, Masky." Lina retorted. She sighed when Yurnero laughed at her.

"What's she doing in Vegrandis anyway?" Lanaya continued.

"That old lady wanted to talk to her because they never quite got the chance back at Dark Moon." The redhead explained. "I wasn't allowed to come along."

"Aw, how unfortunate for you." A disgruntled Lina pouted as Yurnero kept on teasing her.

"Has that fucking troll been rubbing off on you, Yurnero?" the redhead retorted, channeling the fury of her hair. "'Cause I won't hesitate to kick your ass."

As trouble was brewing near her, Lanaya absentmindedly stared out the window, wondering what their blonde companion is up to.

_At the Foot of The Garths_

All the while, a nondescript city cab had just entered the premises of a once derelict mansion, slowly cruising down the path from the gate to the front porch. As soon as it stopped at its destination, Rylai paid the driver inside before exiting said vehicle. The cab left the moment she closed the door. Now all to herself, she looked up to gaze at the ruined mansion that had scaffoldings around it, now inhabited after decades of disuse. She wondered how the building was still standing at its condition. She looked off to the side, finding the parked vehicles. The black luxurious sedan stood out from the three, no doubt belonging to _her_, and she guessed that the pickup truck belonged to the people that might be renovating the place. The last car she couldn't make out, which led her to think nothing of it. Feeling as if she's finished sizing up the ruined mansion, she returned to press the dorrbell.

She waited for a response, but getting none returned after waiting for a while, she pressed it again. This time she could hear the light pitter-patter that got louder and louder, as if closing in on her in a quickened pace. The sound of scratching claws on the massive door meant that a certain dog was already waiting for her. The click of the door's lock resounded before it slowly opened, the dog jumping up and tackling her to the ground, immediately lapping her face with its wet tongue.

"The Madam has been expecting you, Mistress Rylai." The butler named Thrael said to the downed blonde, unfazed by the commotion the dog had caused.

"Uh, yeah, I'll get right on that." Rylai kept on trying to get the canine off of her, but her efforts bore no fruit. "Aurora, come on! Get off me, girl! Thrael, can you help me, please?" She pleaded, helpless under Aurora's mercy.

"As you wish." The butler moved towards them, his hands going for the dog's red collar and heaving her off of the blonde.

"Thanks." Rylai said with gratitude, pushing herself off the ground. She looked at the happy dog, oblivious to her surroundings as per usual. She gave Aurora a short hug. With a nod to Thrael, she left the butler to handle the dog before heading in herself.

She took her time walking through the mansion, inspecting every room as she searched for Auroth, also glancing at the unopened cardboard boxes that occupied said rooms. Of course, Rylai being Rylai, she almost forgot why she was there in the first place as she couldn't help but gawk at the wrapped sculptures around.

"Ugh, wasting my time far out here." A gruff voice said. Rylai turned to look at whoever was saying that, but instead bumped into said voice, tripping the both of them to the ground. After rubbing off the pain, she eyed the man that fell in front of her.

She recognized him instantly, from his buttery face and deformed left arm. One of the doctors from Saint Aghanim's. "Dr Lion, surprised to see you here."

"Huh? Oh, you." He responded flatly. "Yeah, house visit."

"No other doctors on call?"

"Uhuh, sure." He said dismissively as he stood up, leaving Rylai still on the ground. "My time's up, I'll leave that old woman to you, for whatever reason you're here for."

She thought of the short doctor as he left the mansion. Her sister's physician once went in length about how his colleague used to be more lighthearted and optimistic. But the whispers of ambition by his coworkers when he used to attend a different hospital had clouded his mind, which led to his dowfall. The only reason why he still has his license was because St. Aghanim's pulling a lot of strings and inviting the doctor.

"Well, it's not my problem." Rylai thought aloud with a shrug. She dusted herself off and continued on, walking up the creaky stairs.

"Are you already here, girl? Get on with it." She heard Auroth call out from down the hall as Rylai stepped on the top floor. Every other room was still closed (with one door even closed off with wood planks.), except the one, which she assumed was where Auroth was.

She knew she was getting warmer when she got colder as she approached the room, ironically. It already felt like she was back at the North. A calm sense of déjà vu went through her when she entered the room, the only room that didn't look like it was from a horror movie. The walls were already painted in crystal blue, with carpet in the same color and curtains to match. She loved whenever winter came to Elze, but the sheer cold of this room alone triumphed over even the harshest snowstorms of the past. Unfortunately, aside from the king sized bed, the room was still devoid of furniture. Only piles, and piles, and piles of books here, there and everywhere.

"Sit on the bed; I have a few things to say." Auroth said, not lifting her eyes of the book she was reading as she shifted her glasses.

"Are you sick, Auroth?" Rylai asked, concerned for the bookworm.

"No, just needed a physical checkup."

"Why didn't you just go to St. Aghanim's?" Rylai questioned.

"Don't be foolish, girl. I need not leave when I can have them here." Auroth scolded.

"Alright, then what did you want to tell me?"

The youthful looking elderly woman closed the book she was reading. She took off her glasses, planted both it and the book on her nightstand and stared back at Rylai. "Do you believe in the supernatural? In things beyond your comprehension regularly happening around you?"

Rylai thought deeply for her answer, her face contorting into a hard look. "Sure, I guess?" she said. Auroth raised a brow at the student, prompting Rylai to continue her answer. "Never really experienced anything weird myself, but the people around me sure get caught up in it." Her face lit up with a gasp. "Lanaya told me lots of stories about what happens in Dark Moon. That place sure attracts a lot of weirdoes."

"Do you remember what I told the owner why I came to her?" Auroth questioned further.

"That some priestess told you about her, right?" Auroth nodded. "What of it?"

Auroth's cyan colored eyes conveyed a far off look, drawing concern again from the college student. "I'm probably not going to be on this earth for long anymore."

"Auroth, what? Don't talk like that; you're doing fine for ninety six." Rylai let out an awkward laugh to fill the air, but Auroth's unchanging gaze silenced her.

"It's simple, really. I thought about what I could do in what might be my last years here, and I might dabble in areas pertaining to such."

"Uh, I never knew you were interested in the supernatural, Auroth."

"I've read up on many things over my lifetime. It's not really something out of my realm of knowledge." She explained. "Anyway, as I've said, I've been thinking that I'd spent it all trying to get involved."

"Why?" Rylai asked, confused at the notion.

The elderly woman smiled at her. "Because the littlest of actions will always leave the biggest impacts."

Rylai didn't know how to respond to that, shifting her gaze away from Auroth. She twiddled her thumbs and shifted where she sat. "Is-is, that all you… wanted to say?" Rylai asked, still not looking at Auroth.

"Of course not. I'm leaving everything for you."

Rylai blinked. Again. _Huh?_ this time she finally returned Auroth's gaze. She was every bit shocked and surprised. And slightly overwhelmed. "What do you mean?"

"When I die, you'll take everything that I own." Even with Auroth reiterating, she was still unsure of what she had just heard. She doubted the words that had filled her ears.

"But, why?" she asked.

"Because I don't have anyone else. Simple." The door opened as she spoke, revealing Thrael with a leashed Aurora following him. "You'll have everything. This house, my books, Thrael. Even the land I still have back in Icewrack. It's all yours."

"Auroth, this is too much." Rylai felt weak on her knees, glad that she was sitting. She'd be on the floor if she was standing.

"Of course it is. One way or another, whether you like it or not, it's all going to be yours."

Rylai looked around the room, trying to measure just how much "everything" was. This simple bedroom itself has but a sparse of Auroth's collection, and it terrified her. She wasn't ready for this, wasn't ready for this one news to shake her world.

"I've already informed your parents before I moved here, so they'll also be expecting it. Maybe inform your sister of this as well."

After what felt like an age of internal struggle, Rylai slowly collected herself, shaking the news. "Uhm, thanks, Auroth. This is huge."

"No worries, child. And my, you're looking frailer than usual." Rylai couldn't help touch her own cheek when Auroth said that. Her breathing was still a little ragged.

"Yeah, guess I wasn't really expecting this kind of news. Why didn't you tell me when we were at Dark Moon?" She asked her.

"I got preoccupied with the owner. Don't think too much of it." The elderly woman picked up her glasses and returned to her book that she was so engrossed before. "The kitchen is so far the only other place that's been refurbished. Thrael will cook you a nice meal and show you around, then he will take you back to your dormitory."

"Come, Mistress Rylai. The Lapskaus is made to your heart's desire." The butler told her. Aurora now also had paws on Rylai's lap, panting at her.

"Thanks, Thrael. Come Aurora, let's go eat!" the dog barked positively as it circled around the butler as Rylai stood up. Thrael bowed slightly as he made way for Rylai.

The blonde looked back at Auroth when she approached the door, seeing the bookworm already lost in whatever world the book took her. She smiled, still overwhelmed by the news but nonetheless genuinely grateful. With a silent thanks, she exited the room with Aurora following behind her. Thrael was the last to leave, slowly closing the door to give Auroth some privacy. "I'll be downstairs, Madam."

Not even as the door was closed did Auroth look up, but she smiled. Fulfilled. Secured. Content. And now she's ready.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

now we finally get to know what Auroth wanted to talk about! hope you guys enjoyed this one!

it wasn't long, but it was fun!

thanks for reading!


	69. The Forces of Nature

**The Forces of Natures**

For her relatively short life, Lanaya has never felt this suspicious. Despite her abnormal curiosity, the only people that she ever came at odds with were her own parents who she hasn't talked to in years. Most of the time, if her curiosity ever got the better of her, suspicion would be the last thing she'd feel. But now, there was no way in her right mind that she'd be okay with what she was seeing.

At one of the Dark Moon's corner tables, a lonely man sat silently, his pink eyes staring into the drink he had ordered. Covered from head to toe in blackish purple, from a trench coat to a fedora and scarf. Even the color of his skin was hard to make out, although that was the last thing to bother her. And there he was, sitting, as if contemplating or waiting for what she did not know. The fact that he ignored her just pushed her suspicions further.

"Hey, Lanaya." She slowly turned on the stool when the barista called her. "When are those seniors of yours moving in? I haven't heard anything other than their stuff moved."

"I don't know, they're still staying at the dorms. Maybe finalizing some things?" Luna shrugged, apparently pleased with the answer. Her hand sprung forward to Luna, who flinched, but Lanaya held it before she reached Luna's shirt, ending with her hand tugging on the barista's sleeve. "Hey, Luna…"

The barista sighed, already knowing where Lanaya might be going. "What?"

"What do you think of that man?" The older woman tilted her head to glance at whoever Lanaya was pointing at. Although surprised by the question, Luna did her best to gauge the subject in question.

"Yeah, he does seem out of place, but… There's a familiar air around him." Luna told the part-timer.

"What? How so?" she asked.

"Don't know, I can't put my mind on it." She shook her arm so Lanaya could release the sleeve. "Why are you even asking this? Do you know this man?"

"Uhm, no…" Lanaya turned away shiftily when the questioned was moved to her. "Look, I don't want to talk about it."

Luna sighed. Lanaya was a bit of a hypocrite, always wanting to know every little facet of everything around her, but she was always reluctant to share any of her own history. "Whatever then, I'm not gonna budge." She said with a shrug.

Suddenly, just as Lanaya was about to return to work, a white robed woman appeared right in front of them, hands clasped together with a smile on her pale face. Luna reciprocated with one of her rare genuine smiles.

"Dropping by again? Slithice's performance won't start till an hour from now." Luna informed.

"Oh, don't worry. I'm here on other matters to attend." Luna nodded as the priestess surveyed the coffee shop. She stopped at the man that caught Lanaya's suspicions. "I'll have whatever he's having."

"Hm?" Confused at the order, but very quickly she pieced it together. "Alright, I'll have her bring it to you." Luna said as she pointed to Lanaya.

The priestess gave a light bow before moving forward to the table that was already occupied. This spurred Lanaya, feeling irrationally betrayed. "What was that about?"

"That man's probably her brother." The barista explained, already finished with the quickly prepared drink. "I guess that's why I felt a familiar air."

"What's so familiar about them?" Lanaya asked again. "They don't even look remotely related."

"Don't judge a book by its cover, Lanaya." Luna berated. "You can stick around them after you give her the drink. I'm sure they won't mind."

Lanaya was half tempted to do just that, but for once she wouldn't cave to her own curious desires. She's not so eager to get involved with that man again, despite him appearing one time to ease her pain a few months back. It was him that led her to the situation she was in. But _W__hatever_, she thought. _I'm going to give this drink to that priestess, nod, and leave. I won't even eavesdrop._

She did exactly that. She arrived at the cornered table, she placed the drink on the table where the priestess sat opposite of the mysterious man, nodded to the both of them, and turned away.

"Leaving so soon?" the part timer slowed her steps, sighing. _This place attracts too many weirdoes._ she thought to herself. "Why don't you take a seat? We have plenty of room."

Lanaya wanted to get back to work. She really did. But when she felt a small hand wrap itself around her wrist, pulling her towards the table, she just sighed relenting. She was brought down to the chair, sitting beside this odd priestess who was slowly consuming the drink. Unlike her brother (who Lanaya was still dubious of), who still hadn't touched his own glass. Lanaya felt awkward around the two, unsure of what to do, and every time she tried to stand up the priestess would grab her wrist again, pulling her back. She was stuck in a predicament she was not fond of.

"This is a tasty drink." The priestess announced to the table. "You should try it, Chrow. You did order it, after all."

"Noted." The man replied, still staring blankly at the drink. _Chrow? So that's his name?_ "Where are the others?"

"They'll be here soon, don't worry." She nudged her shoulder against Lanaya, alerting the part-timer. "We'll also be having a special guest."

"You mean it's not her?" Chrow asked. _Why would he think that?_

"Of course not, don't be silly. She's just a random bystander." Io added. "The eldest brother will be here soon though."

"Seems like his travels have brought favorable results." Chrow moved his hand after an eternity of stillness, nudging his drink towards Io. "Did you bring anything?"

"I brought all of us together." Io said cheekily. Lanaya saw Chrow shake his head, clearly not amused. "And this little friend of yours. Why don't you two talk about something?"

"She's still obviously wary of me." _Damn right._ she thought, agreeing with him.

"Anybody's bound to be wary if you burst in unannounced into her room." Io took the drink that belonged to Chrow, taking a sip of it. "If you learned some tact, maybe people would see you as less of an enigma."

The enigma in questioned stayed silent, but this time staring intently at Lanaya. The part-timer retaliated, staring back at him with a sharper glare. She could hear the priestess laugh cheerily at their antics. Lanaya would not give up, glaring at him with conviction.

But a sudden quake caused her to jump on her seat, feeling intense energy now coming from her right. Immediately Chrow tore his gaze away from her, landing to whoever had joined the table. She herself slowly turned to meet this person, finding an intimidating presence that shook her from months before. The man, after glancing at the other two on the table, finally glanced to the frightened part-timer, looking indifferent at her. He then looked at the priestess again.

"Is there a reason why she's here?" the man asked.

Io let out a forced, haughty giggle. "We all know she'd be keeping her ear on us anyway. So why bother?"

The man turned his gaze to Chrow, still motionless. "And you? What do you think? Wasn't she a victim to you experiments?"

Lanaya cringed at being reminded of that memory. "I merely humored her that time." He answered.

"Yet you still kept an eye on her, Chrow." Io reminded, which unnerved Lanaya. "Sure is a weird hobby."

"It amused me." He added. He raised his arms above his head, stretching them and then twisting his neck. That was the most movement he's done so far. "Where is Ezalor, Nessaj?

"Over here." A spry old man announced as he joined the table, sitting between Io and Chrow. He brought with him the disturbing looking drink that she saw Luna make that one time for the man sitting next to her. He pushed the glass towards the man named Nessaj. "I must say, young Lanaya, your pursuit of knowledge is a virtue."

It goes without saying that this old looking man creeped her out so; the fact that he knew her name pushed it further. "You never know when to stop, do you?" the man beside her said, in a scolding manner.

"Where's our special guest, Ezalor?" Io asked cheerfully.

"One moment, dear sister." He told her.

"Here you go, sir. Two industrial level chairs." For that moment, Lanaya was relieved upon hearing Shendel's voice as the older waitress appeared, carrying with her two sturdy looking chairs, placing them between the Nessaj and Chrow. Briefly, they locked eyes. "What are you doing? Get back to work."

Lanaya laughed awkwardly, finding no greater excuse. "Yeah, got pulled here."

"Don't worry, she'll be back before you know it." Io told Shendel. The older waitress shrugged it off and went on her way. Almost instantly though, her eyes widened when the door opened.

Lanaya, wondering what spurred that kind of reaction, turned on her seat to look for what caused it. Expecting Shendel's ex, she was confused when instead it was a giant of a man who entered, needing to lower himself so he could go through the door frame. Inside, the top of his head just barely touched the ceiling. Wearing a jaded yellow and green dress suit, carrying with him an enormous briefcase that also looked like some kind of anvil. Without a moment's hesitation, he made his way towards the table she was sitting. He gave a quick glance at Shendel, nodding to her, reminding Shendel where she was as a light blushed formed on her face as she ran deeper into the break room.

The man set his briefcase to the side on the floor, straightening the two chairs before occupying both. Even sat down, his stature easily towered over them, making Lanaya feel meek. Yet despite the intimidation that he puts forth, the expression on his face betrays whatever unintentional image he had. He looked forlorn, in despair. It reminded her of how Shendel was like when she first met her. A brief thought occurred to her, wondering. _Maybe she knows him from back then?_

He laid his hands on the table, one atop the other. His nose flared as he exhaled.

"The Elder Architect." Nessaj called out, the man slowly turned to face him.

"The Knight." He said, his deep voice sending ripples throughout Lanaya's body. She felt the priestess' hand clamp down on her wrist, calming her down.

"The Guardian." He continued, this time referring to Io, who nodded with a smile at the supposed Architect.

"The Keeper." The old man laughed joyfully.

"The Enigma." Chrow sent out a deep hum in response. _He's actually called an Enigma?_

After naming all four siblings, he turned his gaze to Lanaya. This surprised her, not suspecting the Architect to have anything to do with her. He looked at her, deep into her eyes as if judging her. Lanaya couldn't help but swallow from the tension alone.

"The Clandestiness."

Lanaya blinked. "The _what?_" she asked confusedly.

But he, along with the rest around the table, ignored her question. They looked attentive in their own odd expressions. The man called the Architect, moved down, pulling out a scrolled blueprint. He placed it on the table, letting it roll open. Lanaya, along with the others, observed the drawing, the blueprint, that was presented to them. She felt a sense of wonderment surround her, as if seeing a great creation. Yet what she thought betrayed this feeling. To her heart, it's as if she was seeing a great wonder before its birth. Yet to her eyes, it was nothing but scribbles, gibberish, complete nonsense.

"That looks beautiful," The priestess said, although she didn't sound convinced. "but what are you planning on doing with this?"

"You aren't planning on leaving and trying to create another one of these, are you?" Nessaj questioned, sounding slightly angered. "You remember the last time you tried."

"Your ledger is also still filled with many mistakes of your past, Architect." Chrow added, suddenly looking very animated as he talked.

"Now now, we shouldn't be too hard on him." Ezalor cut in. "We did invite him, after all."

"This, is my plan, on how I would fix things." The Architect elaborated. "And before we touch on whatever subject you four called four, I would like to inform you that I will be reattempting."

"I don't see any of this going well." Nessaj said skeptically. The other three nodded in agreement.

"But, it's not like any of us could stop you anyway." Io added.

"That just means we would most likely have to clean up the mess if he ever screws up once again." The Enigma stated.

"Well then by the looks of things, maybe I should keep an eye out on the Architect." Ezalor suggested, earning raised eyebrows from his brothers and a concern gaze from his sister. "Better than nothing, right?"

"I guess that's true." Io said for her brothers.

The Architect rolled back his blueprint with a small satisfied look on his face. He then turned to the Knight again. "What do you need me for?"

"We'll get to that later. We have other pressing matters to attend to right now." He responded with authority.

"So you found something that is bound to happen?" Chrow asked, his pink eyes glinting with a curious flash.

Nessaj leaned in closer on the table, shifting his drink to the side. An almost malevolent energy was conveyed through his eyes. "A war is brewing." He told them. Lanaya held back from bursting out, noticing how the others barely reacted to the shocking news. "And it is inevitable."

"So I take it that your meeting with Damathryx didn't go smoothly?" Ezalor asked, though he quickly laughed at the Knight's experience. "Of course not, 'smooth' is the last thing an agent of chaos would associate with."

"Maybe we can disrupt the battlefield once the armies clash." Chrow suggested. _What's wrong with these people?_ Lanaya thought.

"Or you can just have a chat with their generals. You seem to like having these 1-on-1s with people." Io giggled when Chrow's eyes rolled at her remark. "Do you have a name, brother?" she asked to Nessaj.

"Ish'kafel. The greatest tactician since the last two wars on this earth. But he's not one that will fall for your pretty words, Chrow." _Lanaya felt offended by the Knight's insinuation._

The Keeper sighed before forcing a cough. "So which nations will be attacked? If a declaration of war is upon us."

"That, I do not know." Nessaj answered. "But most likely I won't have to inform Ostarion of this."

"Is there anything else you acquired?" Nessaj shook his head at the question Io threw at him. "Splendid. How about you, Ezalor?"

The jolly expression turned grim when the attention was sent his way, but the smile immediately returned. "The Cult of the Undying still has strong roots in the desolate wasteland of Turstarkuri, and I have seen some movements in the neighboring lands."

Io shifted her view to Lanaya expectantly. "Doesn't the waiter here have some past experience with this cult?"

Lanaya was perplexed at the fact that this priestess knew of Magina's secret. "He does, actually." She answered, although a feeling of guilt came from feeling like she betrayed his trust.

Io turned back to Ezalor. "This might complicate things. Have you told Selemene of this yet?"

"I planned on informing her on that meeting of hers." Ezalor noticed a worried look coming from Chrow. "Is there something the matter?"

"The Cult has set up a small base in this city." This time, the siblings actually looked surprised. Lanaya just couldn't understand these people. "That is what I was about to put out here."

"Oh, then we really should step up here." Io closed her eyes, thinking of the actions they could accomplish. "Approach the Pantheon, set up a request with them, I'm sure they'll do the rest."

"Understood." Chrow responded.

"You guys seem to care a lot for Selemene." Lanaya stated them. All five heads, including the Architect, turned to her. The sudden spotlight made her feel small. "Why is that?" she continued.

The Architect looked down on the table, not caring enough to answer. But the four siblings glanced at each other, a wordless conversation taking place. They all nodded in agreement, with Nessaj being the one to answer. "She is a close friend, one that has helped us these past decades."

Lanaya nodded in quick succession, feeling fear well up as his words shook her to her very core.

"Well, so far in Elze, nothing has happened much." Io announced, returning back to the subject. "Although I convinced someone to join Selemene's circle."

"You have too much time on your hands." Chrow accused.

Io looked unfazed, in fact she looked pleased. "Says the one who likes to meddle in a girl's love life." Lanaya's eyes widened, gasping in revelation when she remembered the dream she had. She glared at the Enigma, none too pleased at having her life being toyed with.

A short silence encapsulated the table. The Architect sat motionless, waiting for what he was needed for to be told. Ezalor took out a bottle of clear, crystalline water from his back pack, drinking it after he offered it to his siblings. Nessaj downed his whole glass in one sitting, the sound of the sizzling drink still heard as it went down his throat. Io took intermittent sips from the drink Chrow ordered. Chrow himself seemed to convey a playful glint from his eyes, amused at the anger that Lanaya poured to him.

"If we all have nothing else to say, then we can proceed to _that_." The four siblings turned to the Architect, expectant of his services. "We need you to erupt Mt. Joerlak again."

"What?!" Io shushed Lanaya, who was outraged at such a task.

"Let it be, young one." The priestess whispered, holding Lanaya back.

"Why?" the Architect questioned, clearly hesitant to cause something of that caliber.

"You'll understand when it happens." Ezalor added.

A sad sighed escaped the Architect, torn by the request but already agreeing to it. "Very well."

All four siblings nodded in unison. "Then we are done here." Nessaj proclaimed.

They all stood up, including the Architect, as they prepared to leave. The Architect himself was quick on his feet, leaving the building as quickly as possible. Lanaya looked around the table, noticing the four siblings look down on her, as if they were finally judging her. She jolted when she felt the gauntleted hand of the Knight laid on her right shoulder, its weight holding her from standing up on her own. The Keepers thin hand then landed on her left shoulder, and she felt her energy just seep out of her. She felt both of the Guardian's hands on top of her head, and she felt dizzy, her world tumbling around. Then all of a sudden the face of the Enigma appeared right in front of her, full view. He then pressed his thumb on her forehead.

"Hey Lanaya, we're closing up." Lanaya blinked. She looked around, noticing the now empty coffee shop.

She was confused, it was the middle of the day when she was pulled into that conversation, now it was closing time, and the four siblings were nowhere to be seen, despite having just circled her before they were about to leave. She slowly stood up, but fell when her legs couldn't hold her weight. She heard footsteps quickly approaching her, helping her up.

She noticed it was Shendel that called her before. "Jeez, what's wrong?"

Her body felt like it hadn't rest in a week. "Uh, what time is it? What happened?"

"It's almost 10 o'clock at night. Wow, you're really out of it." Shendel told her.

Her face had a look of terror, noticed by Shendel. "We tried to wake you up, but Selemene told us to just wait it out."

"I was asleep?"

"Eh, I don't think so." Shendel looked concerned for her younger coworker. "Your eyes were definitely wide open, but it looked like you weren't here, you know? It's hard to explain."

"Please, please go on." Lanaya pleaded, wondering what had happened to her.

"You were just sitting there, completely stiff and unresponsive. Your eyes looked lifeless. It was actually frightening." The both of them noticed Mirana looking at them from the corridor, already dressed to leave herself.

"Come, let's get you to the break room. We'll wait as you rest up, okay?"

Lanaya could only nod, unable to express her thanks for the senior waitress. She felt like she was sucked into a world that she wasn't even supposed to ever lay her eyes on. And for the second time in her life, she felt regret, disappointed at herself and her curiosity that led her to this. She hoped that Selemene could have some answers for her when Monday hits them, because for now, she just wants to collapse on her bed, ready to finish the day that she had missed out on.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

don't mind me, just laying down the ground work for future arcs! also wanted to have the Fundamentals together in one chapter.

but of course, the next one is gonna be more lighthearted.

hope you guys enjoyed this!


	70. Housewarming

**Housewarming**

"_Kanpai!_" The sound of glasses knocking each other filled the new apartment as a group of young adults cheered, a new chapter of life for two roommates being celebrated by their close juniors.

One of them, the ginger archer, gulped down a huge mug full of alcohol "Fuwaaaah!" Sinking into her green beanbag chair, her face already flushed from the immediate effects of the alcohol. "Thanks for being here guys!"

"Right back at 'ya!" the fellow redhead responded, raising her glass. She sat on the sofa with her blonde sister, her legs over Rylai's lap. She looked even more cheerful than the blonde, who instead had an uncomfortable smile.

"You sure are chipper, red." Jah'rakal said, devoid of his usual smirk as he sat on the floor in front of the coffee table. Across him was Yurnero, sitting on his knees unlike Jah'rakal. After sipping his drink and setting the cup on the table, he nodded, as to assert Jah'rakal's statement.

Rylai sighed, agreeing about Lina's recent attitude. "She's been like that ever since I told her about the inheritance." She said.

"To be fair, this is a big deal." A hardly seen face said, appearing between the two sisters as he stood behind the sofa. His purple robe almost stood out in the room. "Anybody would freak out if they were told about it."

"Imagine how I felt about it when she laid it on me, Nortrom!" The man backed away at the blonde's outburst, with both Yurnero and Jah'rakal flinching slightly. Rylai sighed again. "She wouldn't take no for an answer. Not even a 'can you wait?' too."

"Isn't she like ninety?" Lanaya said, appearing after a moment in the bathroom. "She probably thinks she doesn't have that much time."

"If that were the case, I don't think it'd matter, since a lawyer would most likely show up anyway." Traxex interjected. Her eyebrows perked when she saw Lanaya's paler skin. "Something wrong?"

"Yeah, just. You know, work." Lanaya replied, brushing off the concern.

"Is it the weird people again?" Rylai asked with a smirk.

The smirk disappeared when Lanaya didn't respond with a smile of her own, instead looking utterly distraught. The others in the room noticed this too, wondering what brought her down so much. When she realized the many eyes that were now staring at her, she plastered on the smile they were expecting, waving at them to alleviate their worries. "Don't worry, I'm fine."

"I think you need to take a break or something." Lyralei said, dragging Lanaya to her level. "I'm sure your boss wouldn't mind."

"Yeah, we've met her. She seems nice." Lina affirmed.

"Maybe I can. The people there, it can get a bit much." Lanaya admitted, leaning on the side of the green beanbag chair.

Nortrom circled around the sofa with a filled glass in hand, approaching the fatigued looking Lanaya. He handed the glass to her, who accepted it. "And I thought I had it tough." He commented.

Lanaya almost choked on the drink, a coughing fit following right after before staring at Nortom in a look of disbelief. "What? _Tough_? You're a _Librarian_, what's the worst that's happened to you?"

He took the question seriously, thinking of a good answer for her. "Hm, I've came across a couple of potheads, loitering about. And sometimes I have to drive Mister Lannik around town to get some books."

"Oh, that must be _so hard_ for you." Rylai jumped in, with more energy than she had before. "Please, being a librarian is the lightest part-time job around here."

"Shouldn't it be the same for you? You're just a camerawoman for Outer Rim News." He countered.

Rylai grumbled at his retort. "I'll have you know that my boss makes my job more than a hassle by just being around him."

Nortrom's eyes widened for a short moment. "Really? I met him. He seems alright."

Rylai let out an audible gasp, a hand over her mouth in shock. "You… you've talked to him before?"

"Yeah, when he did a segment on the campus." Nortrom said to her. "He dropped by the library, and we talked. About astronomy and the great beyond."

A light glint of awe sparkled in Rylai's eyes, before her face contorted into disappointment. "Oh, so you're one of _those_ people."

"Cheer up sis, just because you can't keep up with what they're saying doesn't mean they're smarter than you." Lina said, hoping to comfort her sister.

Sadly for everyone in the room, this achieved the opposite result. "Oh, gee, _thanks_, sis." Rylai said, her mood now at her lowest.

Seeing the room about to turn sour, Lyralei jumped from her beanbag chair, standing on top of the coffee table. Yurnero and Jah'rakal reeled back slightly, confused by the actions of the tipsy ginger. "Alright, no more nonsense talking! This is a housewarming party, get drinking!"

"I don't think that's what entails in a housewarming." Yurnero commented. But he agreed with the sentiment, raising his glass high up. Across the table, Jah'rakal did the same, followed by everyone else. They toasted once more.

The night went by in a brisk, the group enjoying the time they were having together. Nortrom was leaning on the newly bought fridge, a content smile on his face as he was in his own world, tuning out the rowdiness of his drunk college mates. He noticed someone approaching him, the green colored scarf being a dead giveaway of who it was. The person leaned beside him, toasting his glass with her own.

"It's really a surprise, seeing you coming along, Nortrom." Lanaya commented, her voice devoid of any slurs despite the amount she drank.

"Well, that's because I'm hardy ever invited to these things." He replied, having only taken sips of alcohol ever since the night began.

"Well that's because you're always cooped up in the library with Mister Lannik. Got hard to call you." Lanaya told her. "Hey, sorry about before."

"About what?"

"When we talked about work." She explained. "I was just not in the right mood, after coming back."

"Hey, no worries. Happens all the time, I'm sure." They toasted again, a sign of bygones being bygones. She drank hers before he did. "He's right you know." He said, earning Lanaya's attention. "The library got quiet when you started working."

"Aw, Nortrom. Do you miss me?" she teased him.

He thought of his answer, his silent hesitation bringing concern from Lanaya. "Yeah, actually. Kinda do."

She was surprised by the answer, having expected a sarcastic retort from the librarian. His genuine response moved her. "Thought you liked the quiet though."

"The silent library is nice, but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the talks we had." He told her, looking indifferent.

Lanaya couldn't contain the jolly laughter she felt as she held her stomach. Nortrom himself didn't expect her to almost keel over in a fit, now with his hand patting her back. It took a while before she straightened herself. She smiled at him, a goofy smile that looked unusual on her. "Alright, I'll spare some time to drop by the library. Maybe say hello to Mister Lannik as well."

Nortrom let out a deep chuckle, amused by her words. "I'm sure he'll be happy."

"Hey Lanaya!" the both of them turned to see a drunk Lina, waving her arms in the air. Both her and Lyralei seemed to be the most slurred in the room. "W'don't the whole'f us go out 'morrow? Have some fun, yeah?"

"Sorry, Lina. I have a date tomorrow." She replied, earning groans from both redheads.

Even Rylai' look deflated. "I was hoping we could bond over things."

"I haven't seen this doctor boyfriend of yours." Jah'rakal commented, his high alcohol tolerance made the amount he drank barely fazing him. "You're not gonna show him off around the dorms or anything?"

"Yeah, like I'd want people to fawn over my 'doctor boyfriend'." She remarked, followed by the troll cackling at the idea.

Traxex however didn't look convinced. "Don't you think his eccentricities would be a turn off for some?" she said to them.

"Hey, Tra-chan." Lyralei hiccupped before tripping next to Traxex. "'Doctor boyfriend' is still 'doctor boyfriend.'" She glanced at the glass of juice in Traxex's hand, frowning. "C'mon! Drink something else!"

"You know I have a low tolerance. And your breath stinks." She said as she tried to push Lyralei away from her.

Then came a knock on the door that stopped all commotion in the apartment. Confused glances were thrown at each other, wondering who it was that decided to show up in the slightly concealed party. A trickle of sweat fell down on the new homeowners, paranoia settling in at the thought of someone already filing a complaint. Another knock came by, the both of them now arguing on who should answer.

Lanaya sighed, and glanced to her side, nudging Nortrom to answer the door. The librarian gave a shrug but did so anyways, seeing no harm in it. He opened the door to see a woman just slightly taller than him, carrying two baskets of what seemed like an assortment of pastries. She had a wide smile on her face.

"Hello _voisins_!" she called out, entering without their permission, though both Traxex and Lyralei immediately adopted a look of relief.

Jah'rakal however was the first to fully acknowledge her presence, quickly backing away from the baker with a horrid look on his face. "Yo-you… is that monstrosity coming too?!"

A short beat was held, with Mortred staring at him in a dumbfounded look. "You mean Luna? No, she's out doing some errands."

Yurnero shook his head, disapproving of Jah'rakal's behavior. He scooted over to allow the baker to sit as she set the baskets down on the coffee table. "Come on, everyone, dig in!"

And that they did, now everyone converging on the table, their hands grabbing onto the warm scones, donuts and the like. Mortred just looked on, full of pride at seeing people enjoying her works. She felt a shiver run down her spine when a cold sensation tickled her nape. She looked up, seeing Lanaya standing over her with a can of beer.

"Oh, thank you. It's been so long!" Mortred said, taking the can and opening it in an instant.

"You don't usually drink?" Yurnero asked, his mouth visible as he took intermittent bites off of the sugar coated donut.

"No, Luna doesn't allow any alcohol in the apartment." Mortred said, already emptying the can.

"Maybe she should drink a little, that'll lighten her up I'm sure." Jah'rakal said, chuckling to himself amused by his own comment.

Mortred pulled out her phone, dangling it in front of everyone. A sly smirk appeared on her face. "You know it doesn't take much for me to call her, right?"

The troll's face froze, static in that chuckle he had when it dawned on him on how easy it was for him to be screwed over. Unfortunately for him, nobody in the room shared his worries, now laughing at his contorting face and potential danger that might befall on him. It took a while before he slowly joined them, although the laughs that came out of his mouth were more awkwardly forced, which elevated the satisfaction of everyone else.

From this night onward, new memories will be created for everyone involved. It was something they were all looking forward to, whether they admitted to it or not.


	71. Clinical Raid

**Clinical Raid**

On this hot and bright sunny day, Magina sat slumped on a recliner, enjoying the cool breeze of the ceiling fan that was blowing towards his face, his short mohawk unkempt as it flowed freely. He was in heaven, and he wished he could experience this more often, yet sadly he knows that would never be the case. It was because of that that he wanted to enjoy every single moment of this.

When he felt weight shift itself on top of him, he knew that even that alone was impossible. He sighed, slowly opening his eyes to inspect the disturbance that had joined him, seeing a petite body in a blue and pink jacket, sprawled horizontally over him. Her legs were dangling on one side as her eyes were glued to her phone with a bored look on her face. She quickly threw her phone to the other couch, turning her head to face the T.V.

Puck's position made it hard for him to move around, and he didn't have the drive or motivation to actually for the girl to get off of him, so he simply glanced to the balcony outside, seeing the manager basking under the glow of the sun. Relaxed on the lounge chair dressed in a white sundress, with her trusty lazy cat Sagan on her lap, she embraced the warmth with open arms.

"Hey, Mirana." Magina called out to the manager, who flicked on eye open at her guest. "Thanks for having me over on such short notice."

"Don't worry about it, Magi." She stretched her arms, placing her hands behind her head. "I hardly ever have guys over, so it's a welcome change."

"Huh, really?" he was surprised, that Mirana hardly had any guys come home with her. "I thought you'd be popular, bringing a couple of dudes back here."

"'A couple of dudes'? What kind of person do you take me as?" Magina wanted to backpedal when he thought that he had insulted the manager, but her giggle caught him by surprise again. "Oh please, Magi. When I moved here, the only thing I had was my job. I had no time for dilly dallies like that."

"Jeez. You and Luna sure have a lot more in common these days." He remarked, still trying to get the uncooperative Puck off of him. "You two were like two sides of the same coin back then."

This peaked Mirana's attention, as she now propped herself up with her elbows, staring at Magina struggling. "You make it seem that we had anything in common back then, when we could barely share the same thought."

"Yeah, but you two were very similar." He continued on. "I mean, completely different, no doubt about that, but both of you are women, taken in under Selemene and being her two oldest and trusted employees. See? Two sides of the same coin."

This time Mirana had fully sat up straight, taking Sagan into her arms. She stood up, still standing outside. "Sounds like you're just grasping at straws here, Magi."

"Well, regardless of the past, it sure is nice not having to enter an awkward atmosphere every day." He heaved himself off of the recliner, no carrying the unresponsive Puck, only sticking out her tongue at him. He threw the girl back down onto the chair as he moved to the nearby sofa.

"You're mean." Puck commented, though with a smile on her face as she spread herself on the recliner.

Magina grunted, now solely focused on whatever was on that morning. Mirana came to sit by him. "How much did I change, from before?"

Magina knew that a question like that would've popped up sooner or later, especially when he referenced the past. He locked eyes with her. "You can stand on your own now, instead of shying away whenever someone intimidating came by."

He continued on before she could comment. "While Luna just mellowed out, extremely. I actually thought she was someone else."

She laughed, partly because she found the image entertaining and partly because she liked the atmosphere around them. "I guess that's what time does to people."

He smiled too, but it slowly disappeared when he glanced at the morning news that was broadcasted. He upped the volume and leaned closer. He could hear Mirana asking him what's wrong, but it was all white noise to him at this point, as he poured himself onto the news segment. The renowned reporter, Harbinger, was at the scene looking more attentive than usual.

_Downtown Elze_

"Ladies and gentlemen, we bring to you breaking news of the terror that has befallen this city this morning. A terrorist group has attacked and occupied the Mekansm Clinic, and have been holding hostages since their attack earlier."

Harbinger looked around the area, amidst the backend crowd held by the perimeter, the paramedics already on the scene as well as the local City Guards that were on alert, the new Guard Captain keeping order. Both he and the camerawoman focused on the injured being tended.

"Many of the security guards were shot on site, leaving only a few casualties right before us. This is a tragedy that we have not prepared ourselves for."

He moved towards the Guard Captain, with the camerawoman in tow. They approached the stressed Captain, with Harbinger unfazed by the glare he gave as they approached him. "Guard Captain Slardar, can you share with us the situation we are in? Why are the Guards not moving into action?"

Slardar covered his face with the palm of his hand, and the camerawoman could feel the building rage. "We are holding the line, keeping the peace and making sure that there are no more civilian casualties out here. The Guards are slowly leading the people away from the scene." He looked around, his eyes darting down the streets. "And as to 'why?' we have not made out move, it is because we were ordered to wait for reinforcements."

"Reinforcements?" Harbinger asked.

"These people were dispatched to us, and they will be the ones to deal with this situation." Slardar explained.

"Do you have any confidence in these people's capabilities?"

"I have zero knowledge of that." Slardar answered. "Never seen these people before in my life."

Harbinger addressed the camera again, nodding after Slardar. "There you have it people. Straight news of the current situation of these dire circumstances. We'll be right back at you with more to come."

The red light of the camera flickered off, with Harbinger relaxing his features as Rylai lowered the camera off her shoulder, adjusting it from the long haul they had. She looked around and approached a nearby bench, resting herself on it. _This is the worst day ever._ she thought to herself.

"First Lanaya told us that she's having a date, so she obviously can't be around. Then I wake up with a horrible hangover thanks to last night, and _now_ I had to come here, of all places! For work! Ugh!"

She lowered her face to her hands, not in the best of moods to being with. She felt the bench shift, indicating someone had joined her. She had a good idea on who it was. She peeked one eye at her superior, his sharp eyes focused on the occupied clinic in a calculating manner. His one hand moved to his shirt pocket, fishing out a coffee flavored sweet. He gave one to her, not uttering a word.

She took it, appreciative of his gesture and not talking to her. She was definitely would not have returned any of his social advances, and he could probably read her face to know of her discomfort. Instead, to voice his thoughts, he simply pointed to the clinic. She allowed him that, as her eyes looked to where and what he wanted.

Two of these terrorists were staring out the window, observing the audience they have accrued. Rylai wondered what Harbinger meant to say; his mind, his train of thought was always miles ahead of her. He then pointed to a building two blocks down the street. This time Rylai had to strain her eyes to catch what he meant, taking a while for her to finally make out a small man, pointing a rifle at the clinic.

"Is that… a Guard?" she asked, breaking the silence between them.

"No. The City Guards aren't equipped with long range fire power. That's most likely a good Samaritan, hoping to help out." As Rylai ate the candy, Harbinger himself took out a cigarette, putting it on his lip still unlit.

"You sure know a lot about the Guards." Rylai commented as her superior lit the cigarette.

"I know a lot about the city thanks to years of being a reporter." He turned his head, facing the part-time camerawoman.

He planted his hand on her blonde head, keeping her still. "In case you were wondering, I called you to work because I think you're great at what you it."

She rolled her eyes, wondering how many times he's said it to the past cameramen. "_Sure_… You're just saying that because I hadn't resigned yet."

He nodded, admitting to it. "Partly so, but if you weren't good, I'd have called the other people we had around. Know that your work is gladly appreciated."

If she wasn't so mentally exhausted, she'd be having a dumb smile on her face from the genuine compliment, but instead she could only reply with a tired smile. "Thanks, sir."

"Everyone needs a push forwards during times like this, don't worry." He assured her. "I'm also hoping you'd take a more 'permanent' spot in Outer Rim News."

"I'm not that easy, Mr. Harbinger. But I'll think about it." She answered, smiling at the prospect of at least having a secured future.

"I told you, call me OD when we're not on air." He reprimanded, though a deep yet lighthearted laugh showed that he didn't mean anything by it, drawing Rylai's own girlish giggle.

When his face strained, his eyes becoming sharper, she knew that meant that something else had appeared. He stood up almost immediately, ushering her to follow him as he threw away the unfinished cigarette. She followed behind him, seeing a black van entering the scene as the City Guards moved aside for it, she already had the camera now on her shoulder.

When the van came to a complete stop, the driver exited the vehicle, approaching the Guard Captain who was waiting for them. He was dressed in all black, with accents of purple on his shoulders, knees and chest. On his head he wore a sleek looking light purple helmet that covered all except his mouth, intricate patterns laid out on the surface of it. The sides protruded, giving the helmet a hammer-like look. It was close to impossible for Rylai to make out what this person was like.

Both the man and Slardar nodded, and upon seeing Harbinger and Rylai approach them, Slardar was already making his way, sending out orders to his City Guards. The man went back to the van, opening the side door for the other person that was in the car. The one that joined him was a taller woman with a scarred face, her hair dyed green braided with snake-shaped clips at the tip. Her arms were crossed over her chest, with one hand holding an opera mask. As the man spoke to her, her gaze locked on to both Harbinger and Rylai.

"Good morning." He greeted, giving a short bow to them. "I represent Outer Rim News, and if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to ask you a few questions regarding the terrorists inside."

The two people stayed silent, measuring Harbinger. The woman whispered something to the man, but he replied with a shrug before heading inside the van. The woman then smiled at Harbinger, before putting on her mask. "Not at all. But no camerasss."

"How unfortunate." He responded, though Rylai was secretly gad, lowering the camera again. Instead Harbinger now fished out a notepad, a pen at the ready as he began spouting the questions he had prepared. "Please, introduce yourselves."

"Agent Gorgon, and my colleague inside, Agent Void." She answered.

"Agents? Are you government officials?"

"No. We are a third party group."

Harbinger jotted down the brief introductory he was given. "Do we have any idea on who these terrorists are?" he continued.

"They're actually called the Cult of the Undying. Before, they mostly operated within the shadowsss, preferring to manipulate the higher echelon of society. They kept quiet for a few monthsss, and now for some reason they're dabbling in all out terrorism." There was a short beat of hesitation from the agent. "We actually were given information on the whereaboutsss of their hideout in the city, planning on rooting it out."

"But they beat you to it?" He interjected.

"Precisely."

"Is it alright for you to be divulging this information to us? Aren't you afraid on informing these terrorists, these cultists, of your plans and intentions?"

"We have a super intelligent AI that hasss already recognized their signaturesss. Even if they were to run away, we already have them in our radar. Nothing can run from our AI'sss eyesss." She chuckled to herself, humored by her own words.

He wrote her answer down before asking another question. "Any reason as to why the City Guards are told to not engage?"

"We'd rather do thingsss our way, lessst there be unnecessary casualtiesss. Let'sss not forget that there are still civiliansss inside." The man appeared again, this time equipped with glowing pauldrons. He had an odd looking mace strapped to his waist as he adjusted the rest of his equipment. "Looksss like we'll be continuing this conversation later on, mister reporter."

Harbinger bow again, giving the agents their space as he moved away from them. But both he and Rylai were now still in earshot. "I will be heading in first, and then you'll follow up, as usual, Gorgon." He said to her in a no nonsense manner.

"I'll handle the terroristsss, Void. You jussst focusss on getting the people out of harm'sss way." She told him, eliciting an unamused response.

"Not a fan of the plan, but I'll go along with it." He said, holstering three deep, purple orbs on his chest. "Is Z.E.U.S. online?"

"I don't know, haven't checked yet when we arrived." She admitted, but a loud static noise surge in their coms.

"_You DARE question my capabilities, **Mortals**?_" a loud blare came from the van, shocking even Harbinger and Rylai, who were nearby.

"Well, there'sss your answer." Gorgon stated, chuckling at the AI's 'entrance'.

"Z.E.U.S. How many people are in the clinic right now?" Void asked.

"_Seeing right to it._"

As the AI surveyed the building, Void approached Gorgon again before the woman could prepare for her own engagement. "You sure were highly enthused for this mission."

"Of courssse I would." She replied, sounding oddly chipper than before. "I've been meaning to find some alone time here. Guessss the universsse blessssed me with thisss opportunity."

It didn't take long for the male agent to piece things together, awing at his partner. "Right. Forgot your fiancé lives in this city."

She hummed her approval to him. The sound of beeping signaled them that the AI had gathered the requested intelligence. "_Got what you wanted, mortals._" the AI announced condescendingly. "_35 heat signatures emanating from inside. The security feed showed that 19 of them are civilians. The remaining 16 are the imbeciles that caused this disruption, separated between three floors._"

"Three?" Agent Gorgon asked. Both agents glanced at the clinic, sharing the same thought at the two visible floors. "There'sss a basement?" she asked.

"_Yes. Building records indicate that it's some sort of boiler room. These cultists are spread about, 2 of them down there, 5 on the second floor while the remaining 9 are on the ground floor._"

"How about the civilians? Where are they?" Void asked.

"_The hostages are corralled within the administration's office._"

Gorgon eyed her partner closely. "You got everything you need?"

"Here's a thought that didn't occur to me before." Void said out of the blue. "Z.E.U.S., why don't you just strike them down? Can't you connect through the wires in the building?"

"_How **dare** you question the capabilities of a **GOD**!_" a smug, boisterous laugh emanated from the van. "_Of course I can do that, but there's not enough power in this sector. Unless you want a citywide blackout for a couple of hours._"

"Then that's obviously a no go." He said, looking deflated. "But can you strike them in anyway? How much can you achieve with the power levels here?"

"_I can sustain three electrical surges. Beyond that, we'll see some lights go out._"

"Then when we charge in, you take out the two in the basement, standby for when we need that last one." Gorgon ordered. With that motioned, she moved towards the van, putting on a thick padded armor and pulling out a modernized blunderbuss. "Alright Void, enough baffing about. Let'sss get to it."

"Do I only have three?" He asked her, indicating the three orbs he has with him.

"You only have three because we were given only three." She loaded her blunderbuss as she spoke to him. "Don't worry. Careful management would mean you wouldn't waste it all."

"Then is this the time?" he asked again, a smirk shown her way.

"Depends…" she cocked the blunderbuss before putting her mask on. "Is your foresight sharpened?"

Agent Void let out a deep chuckle as his pauldrons begin to light up. His helmet also began glowing in an unearthly manner. "Fore_seen_ is fore_armed_."

With both agents ready, they moved towards the clinic. Agent Gorgon casually strutted while Agent Void was running in.

"Get the camera ready part-timer." Harbinger ordered.

"Huh?" Rylai responded. "Now? Why?"

"Give the people a semblance of heroic hope." He told her. She wasn't that motivated, but did as she was ordered, bringing the camera to her shoulder. It took a while, but now Harbinger was relaying the situation back to the station. She had tuned out whatever he was saying, however, as her attention was glued on the two agents.

Agent Void was already nearing the clinic, holding one of the orbs on one hand. When the doors opened, with two terrorists aiming their weapons at him, he threw the orb at them. It exploded, covering the whole clinic in a purple smoke. Everyone caught in it was paralyzed, unable to move while he freely maneuvered around them. He heard the sound of an electrical explosion, indicating the Z.E.U.S. had done his job in eliminating the threats on the floor below.

He ignored everyone, going straight to the administration's office, carrying out the plan they had come to. With one swing, he broke the door down, coming to see the hostages, looking terrified and also paralyzed as they were also caught in the explosion. Following behind him, appearing just as the effects of the cloud were dissipating, was Agent Gorgon, already aiming her blunderbuss on the two that went to greet Agent Void. The last thing they saw was the igniting gun barrel that took their lives.

She moved in, seeing the remaining 7 were now focused on her, unloading their weapons on the agent. Unfortunately for them, her armor was sturdy enough to withstand the onslaught, and within two seconds she fired her blunderbuss again, clipping four of them and annihilating the rest. Void followed suit, taking down half as Gorgon handled the other.

"Two floorsss secured. Get the people out of here, and then we'll head up." She said as she reloaded her weapon.

"One problem. There was only 18 people inside." She froze, not liking the situation.

"Z.E.U.S., where's the lassst hostage?" she asked.

"_Apparently they managed to sneak one out before you two barged in._" The AI answered. "_If only you were fast enough._"

"Who wasss taken?"

"The others said it was a nurse." Agent Void explained.

"Fine. Get them out of here, then we'll get the lassst one." She ordered, moving forward to the set of stairs as Void led each person out.

Agent Gorgon waited patiently, seeing her partner cautiously bringing people out two at a time to the City Guards that had appeared to help. One of them was in hysterics, clinging onto Void and begging him for something. She deduced that the last hostage was someone important. When all hostages were brought out, Agent Void joined Gorgon, mace at hand and another orb at the ready. Without looking, he threw it up the stairs, engulfing the entire floor in its purple mist.

He went up first, coming face to face with one that was waiting for them. A quick bash to his head had put him out of his misery. The effects of this orb lasted less than the first one, which he quickly took notice of when shots were fired his way. It wasn't hard for him to dodge the bullets, his helmet already pinpointing the trajectories, allowing him to effortlessly move about, closing his distance with his attackers.

A flash from his pauldron stunned the closest terrorist when he dashed forward, with another bash to the head following. When he saw Agent Gorgon walking down the hallway, he hid himself in a closet just before she fired her blunderbuss, taking out two more of the cultists.

"One more to go." She announced.

"One more that will bring you all down with him!" Agent Void peaked out the closet, seeing the last cultist holding the last person, a nurse, in front of him.

The man was pointing his gun at the side of the nurse's head, with his other hand holding the trigger to the bomb that she was strapped too. The nurse's makeup was running from the tears she shed, scared to her core for her life that was fleeting at this very moment. Void wanted to charge in, but he feared that one mistake could send this building to the heavens. Gorgon still aimed her blunderbuss, but she was hesitating.

"Yes, yes! Fear the age, the Rise of the Almighty Dirge has come! You will all fear him, revere him!" the cultist said aloud, sounding more insane than the agents had thought. "There is nothing that can stop us! The Cult of the Undying will reign on!"

Both Agents looked at each other, perfectly understanding the dire situation they're in. That meant there was only one possible thing to do.

Agent Gorgon looked around, finding one security camera that was catching this very scene. "Z.E.U.S., we need that lassst strike now." She spoke to it.

The clinic's intercom started buzzing, before it cleared up. "_With **pleasure**_."

The cultist looked frantic, wondering where the voice was coming from. He didn't notice the light bulb closest to him was glowing brighter and brighter. The electrical sockets were also sparking uncontrollably. And before the cultist could realize his impending death, a huge surge of electricity sparked from the exploding light bulb and socket, striking the cultist on his head. The burst of electricity surged through him and connected with the nurse, heading straight to the bomb, disarming it before it could explode.

The whole scene was too quick for the nurse to comprehend, as just the cultist's body hit the ground, Agent Void had already caught her. Slowly looking around the hallway, she turned to the agents, basking in awe at their actions.

"Excluding the few that were dead before we arrived," Agent Void said as he steadied the nurse's footing. "none of the civilians were caught in the crossfire. I say this mission is a success."

"But it'sss not over yet." Agent Gorgon responded, holstering her blunderbuss. "We have more thingsss to come for Elze."

He nodded to her, helping the nurse down as Agent Gorgon led them down and out of the clinic. The City Guards were waiting for them. Paramedics were quick to take the nurse away from their hands with the City Guards securing the area, looking for any surviving cultists as they also paved the way for the agents. Harbinger himself was steadily waiting for them, Rylai having kept the camera on the clinic since they went in.

_Mirana's Apartment_

Mirana was worried at Magina, the waiter having gone catatonic since he laid his eyes on the news. She tried talking to him, nudging him, even slapping his face but he was still unresponsive.

"Why's he like that?" Puck asked from behind her. "Was it something on TV?"

She glanced at the young girl, before facing the TV again. A terrorist attack by a bunch of cultists. Cultists who, if she remembered it correctly, were the very same group that Magina had tried to unveil months ago. Seeing him in this state wasn't doing well for her, so she went to her kitchen, taking out a bottle of water from the fridge. She uncapped it, hoping that he wouldn't get angry at her.

With the splash of the cold water, Magina finally came to his senses, spurting out every bit of water that snaked through him. He looked around the room, remembering that he was a guest in Mirana's apartment. He glanced upward, seeing the manager staring at him with concerned eyes.

He coughed, trying to disarm the awkwardness. "I'm fine. Just, triggered, is all."

"_Just_?" she looked unconvinced at his assurance. "You're gonna stay here, okay? I'm calling Selemene, she usually knows what's up with these things."

"No, Mirana. Don't bring her into this, alright?" he pleaded, but he wasn't expecting to get slapped.

"No, I'm setting my foot down here." She said with authority. "'Mene's been involved longer than you knew, she's been in touch with these things since before she even had Luna and me. So you're gonna stick your ass on that couch and wait till she comes to pick you up."

Magina was flabbergasted, unsuspecting of Mirana to get angry at him with concern. His cheek still hurt, but he was stupefied, only staring at her diminishing form as the manager went and called their boss. He could hear a snicker coming from nearby him, no doubt the young Puck laughing at what had just happened.

He looked at Puck, frowning at the giddy girl. "Shut up, kid."

But those simple words weren't enough to dissuade her. In fact, it served to only bringing her into a stronger fit of laughter. All in all, he wished he hadn't decided on spending his Sunday in Mirana's apartment.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

the Cult of the Undying has appeared in full force, ready to shake to foundations of society.

the question is, are **you** guys ready?

hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	72. Aghanim's Legacy

**Aghanim's Legacy**

Tick tock goes the clock that sat on the wall, overlooking the various doctors, nurses and orderlies that went about their busy schedule. Like seamless clockwork, they shifted through each other, complimenting one another like a well oiled cog.

One of the senior doctors, enjoying his break with a cup of coffee and a book of prayer, sat relaxed on a chair in the nurse's lounge, his socked feet laid atop the table. He chanted for what seemed like hours (despite his break not even reaching thirty minutes), with regular sips from his coffee intermingled in between each passage. His deep voiced frightened the younger and newer nurses around him, but the older ones felt relaxed.

Another doctor peeked his head through the door, surprising the nurses inside. His mask intimidated most of the nurses, but those who have been in the hospital longer knew how he was like underneath it. Despite his eccentricities. He slipped through the door and gave quick, minute salute to the nurses as he joined his colleague. One of the nurses gave him a chair to sit on as he moved beside the other doctor.

The earlier doctor finished his chanting, glancing to the side to his colleague, flashing a smile. "On'a break, Rubick?"

Rubick nodded exaggeratingly. "Yoouuu betcha!" he held his hand up high to Zharvakko, expecting the other to reciprocate.

The tribal looking doctor stroked his braided beard, laughing as he high fived Rubick with his other hand. They both laughed with each other, with the younger nurses around them just glancing around awkwardly, not used to their behavior. Two very different people in many aspects of their character, casually hanging around each other as close friends and brothers of medicine.

"So, you mingled down dere wit dat college girl 'o yours?" Zharvakko asked slyly, bumping his fist on Rubick's shoulder.

"Nah, we'_r_e taking it slow. She's the one leading this _r_elationship." He replied, his odd voice reverberating in the room.

One of the younger nurses perked up, a smile on her face as she now approached the two doctors. "Dr. Rubick, you have a girlfriend now?"

Both doctors turned to the overly familiar nurse, unlike the others of her age. "You bet he does! Da sly greeny here's no longa' single."

"Oh, how long has it been?" she asked, prying deeper into the twitchy doctor's personal life.

"Just shy of midnight on New Yea_r_'s." he answered. "Why don't you get you_r_self a boyf_r_iend too, Penny?"

"Oh, I have to take care of the house, and my brother." She replied, letting out an exaggerated sigh. "Despite his age, he always acts like a spoiled brat."

"P_r_odigies tend to be like that." He said, agreeing.

"Were you like that, doctor? I heard that you're a prodigy as well." The nurse questioned.

"I was mo_r_e inquisitive that most." He told her. "And having Aghanim as my fathe_r_ to always discipline me helped too."

The nurse had her mouth open as she looked in awe at the doctor. "I never got to meet Aghanim. How's he like? Is he as great as people say?"

"He's a madmon." Zharvakko said, Rubick agreeing with a nod next to him. "You can't know wat he's tinking, always his mind is on da move. But he tinks ten times ahead o' us. A true genius."

"He pe_r_sonally scouted out of people he_r_e, like you_r_ b_r_othe_r_." Rubick explained.

"Yeah, I know. He was recruited when he was only 14 years old, and I had to go through a special school just to get in the same place." The nurse leaned her weight onto the chair, with no regard to personal space. Luckily for her, either doctor doesn't seem to care. "The world is **so** unfair…"

"But such is life." Rubick said followed by a chuckle. "It would've been bo_r_ing if it was handed on a plate."

"Hey hey, Dr. Rubick, tell me more about this girlfriend of yours." The nurse requested, exuding an auro of youth.

"She's a 'uge fan o' him." Zharvakko said before Rubick could answer.

The green doctor nodded before continuing where Zharvakko left off. "She's always p_r_ying _r_andom info_r_mation f_r_om othe_r_ people. Always cu_r_ious."

The nurse looked slightly disappointed. "That doesn't sound very romantic."

"Well neithe_r_ of us a_r_e the _r_omantic types, so it wo_r_ks out, haha." Rubick boasted, filling the room with his cackling.

"There you are." Another voice said as he entered the room. His voice conveyed a sense of authority and superiority, which is one of the reasons why he has more enemies than friends to call for.

And calling them 'friends' would still be stretching the definition. "Ah, sumting on your mind, Carl? You never step foot here." Zharvakko said as he glanced at the approaching doctor.

The blond doctor was glaring at his colleagues, completely ignoring the nurse that was mouthing off curses at him. "That is because I was looking for Rubick." He turned to the twitchy doctor, who continued ignoring him. "You were supposed to be in the meeting along with the Chief of Staff when the representatives of the City Council came by. I had to take your place."

"I'm su_r_e you did a g_r_eat job, Ca_r_l." He cackled at the frustrated look Carl gave him. "People should know that I only work during b_r_eaks if patients lives a_r_e involved. Meetings? Meh."

"Then why was I the one to called to cover for you?!" the blond doctor demanded, his anger already pushing some of the nurses out of the lounge.

Rubick meanwhile shrugged, uncaring of his colleague's anger. "It's not like I was the one that asked fo_r_ you. Maybe you should funnel you_r_ _incandescent rage_ on the Chief of Staff? If anything, you should be hono_r_ed to have to take my place."

Carl's beautiful face contorted into a mess of anger, but he kept his composure as hard as he could. "You are not wrong about that." He admitted, clearly unhappy.

"I'm glad we could come to an ag_r_eement." Rubick said with a chuckle, with Zharvakko and Penny joining with, a deep laugh and a giggle respectively.

Carl then finally glanced at the nurse that hung with the group of doctors, raising a brow at her as he finally acknowledged her presence. "Oh, you were here?" Penny rolled her eyes, not remotely surprised by his dismissive nature. "Your brother was looking for you."

"Oh, was he? Let me guess, he's hungry?" she asked sarcastically.

"Why should I know? That mouthy brat always sputtered nonsense." Carl said.

She smiled at the blond, yet her eyes had a spark of anger. "That's not really a nice thing to say about my brother, doctor."

Carl flinched, feeling that he had angered the nurse. "What's the difference? You say the same things about him."

"That's because he's my brother, and I know my limits. I do not take kindly when to other people who don't show him the respect he deserves." Carl would never admit it, but he felt threatened by this nurse who was so far below him.

Before he could try and push her back down, Zharvakko raised both his hands in the air. "Now now, Penny. We don' need to start a scuffle. Carl, why don' you sit and calm down?"

With reluctance, he did as he was suggested, though sitting a short distance away from them. Penny smiled at her minor victory over the blond doctor. Rubick just looked on, an amused smirk covered by his mask. "The youngest nu_r_se to make Ca_r_l back down. Imp_r_essive. Ve_r_y imp_r_essive."

The nurse gave Rubick a smug look. "When you have a brother like mine, it gets really easy."

The door bursted open in the middle of their conversation, a flurry of lime green running towards them. When he stood before them, his height only managed to level out with the sitting doctors, and he barely reached the nurse's shoulders. "Penny! I've scoured this whole building for you! Where have you been!?"

Penny laughed, finding amusement at her brother's behavior. She planted both her hands on his shoulders. "Calm down, baby brother. I'm just taking a break."

He swatted her hands off, cheeks red from embarrassment. "Stop calling me baby brother! We're twins! You're only a few minutes older!"

She laughed cheerily, pinching his cheek in an affectionate manner. "Alright, alright, Pugna. I'll stop calling you baby brother in front of people."

"No no! I want you to stop calling me that everywhere! Now!" he complained, the attention of the rest of the few nurses that stuck around now on him.

Now the two doctors behind them were actively laughing, while the blond doctor had a look of contempt at the prodigal doctor. "I'll only do that if you start acting your age." She told him sternly like a doting mother. "We're 25, and you live life as if you just started middle school."

"An' maybe you'd have girls linin' up if you weren't like dat." Zharvakko said.

Pugan shook his head viciously. "No way! They're all gold diggers anyway! I don't need other girls when I already have my sister!"

Penny would often forget that despite her brother being a prodigy, he could sometimes be a bit dense. The immature snickering that Zharvakko and Rubick were letting out, and Carl's groaning, meant they too caught onto the accidental meaning to Pugna's words. She sighed at him. "See, Pugna. If you thought like a 25 year-old, you wouldn't just say things like that."

He looked at her, head tilted in genuine confusion. "What? What did I say?"

"Imbecile." Carl whispered. She gave a quick glare at the blond doctor, who tried his best to ignore it.

She turned back to Pugna, still as oblivious as ever. She sighed again, a behavior she exhibited often when around her younger twin. "Look, you're hungry? How about we wait, okay? The canteen is most likely full now anyway."

Pugna looked disappointed, but he nodded nonetheless. "Okay." He said with his shoulders slumped in defeat. The nurse looked happy, showing her brother a caring smile.

Rubick stood up before them, moving forward so he could stand beside them. Pugna retracted a few steps, intimidated by the twitchy man. "Pugna, I have a question."

"Wh-wh-what do you want?" Pugna asked.

"Where's Lion? Have you seen him?" Pugna breathed a sigh of relief at the harmless question.

"Jeez, baby brother. He's not gonna pounce on you." The nurse said teasingly.

"Stop calling me baby brother!" he yelled, but faced Rubick instantly. "The Chief wanted him to take care of the Aggron Twins today."

Rubick nodded, but heads all turned to the blond doctor, laughing malevolently. "Good riddance. Let that pussy take care of the idiot."

"That idiot is also a _savant_ that solved a medical p_r_oblem that stumped you for two weeks and also saving a patient's life." Rubick said, shutting Carl up.

"What happened to the Aggron twins, anyway?" this time it was Pugna that asked the older doctors. "They're conjoined savant twins, right? Why are they here?"

"Dheir mother was pregnant, but she passed away during delivery." Zharvakko explained, looking a bit saddened. "Dhere was no father, so the staff ended up taking care o' it."

"Why didn't you guys just send the kid to an orphanage?" Penny asked, leaning her elbow on her brother's.

"Aghanim told the staff not to. He said he had a 'feeling' about the child being special" Rubick elaborated. "As usual, his intuition is _r_ight."

"In more ways than one." Carl added.

"But they always look so happy. I guess the staff really takes care of him?" Penny asked unsurely.

Zharvakko flashed a toothy grin her way. "We're a rowdy bunch, but you can trust us in dhese situations."

A knock on the door silenced the room before any more words could be exchanged between them. "Excuse me, is Dr. Rubick inside?" a muffled voice asked.

"Yes, he is." One of the other nurses answered for him.

The door slowly opened, a security guard peeking inside. He looked meek despite his intimidating size. "Sir, you have a guest. She says she's someone important."

Beneath his mask, Rubick's eyes perked up in excitement. Zharvakko 'oh'ed in the background, with Carl shaking his head in disgust. "Let he_r_ in, good man!"

The security guard nodded, opening the door fully to give way for the guest. To none of the senior doctors' surprise, it was Lanaya, entering the room with the green scarf he gave her wrapped around her neck. She carried with her a lunchbox and large brown bag that had the Dark Moon's logo emblazoned on it. She carefully approached her boyfriend.

"Lanaya, what a lovely su_r_p_r_ise." He said, covering Lanaya's cheeks with his gloved hand. "The hospital is on the othe_r_ side of the city, it must've taken a while to get he_r_e."

"Eh, not really." She replied cheekily. "I asked Luna to drive me here on her bike while the coffee shop is kinda empty."

"Oh, I don't think she'd like that." He responded with his own deep giggle.

"Yeah, so I suggest that if you ever see her, to just not look her in the eye." The couple laughed together merrily. When they both calmed down, she brought the lunchbox she was carrying to their level. "I made you something to eat."

"Oh, fo_r_ me? How wonde_r_ful!" he took the lunchbox, holding it delicately.

"And since I came from work, I also got some of Mortred's pastries, for your friends." She said, showing the paper bag to the people behind him.

Pugna, with wide eyes of astonishment, surged forward and took the bag from Lanaya. "Awesome!"

Penny moved behind him, trying to calm her brother down. Lanaya was mostly surprised at the sight before her. "You guys have a kid working here?"

Pugna immediately went from joy to rage, facing the college student. Reaching only her chest, however, he barely even fazed her. "I am no kid! I'm 25, and a prodigal doctor! And you best know your place!"

In fact, she didn't look convinced. She turned to Rubick for clarification, and upon receiving a nod from him, she turned back to the short prodigy. "Alright, I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize to him." Penny said, now holding her brother back with a tight hug and flashing an apologetic smile to Lanaya. "He's always like that."

"No no, it was my fault." She said, waving it off. Lanaya went back to Rubick. "I have to get back to work soon." Her hands came to his mask, carefully lifting the mask so his mouth could be freed. The few people that were still around the room flinched, seeing a glimpse of Rubick's disfigured face but Lanaya didn't care. She gave him an affectionate kiss, one that he returned wholeheartedly.

They slowly separated themselves, though their distance is still close. "Bye, I'll see you later."

"And you make su_r_e that Luna d_r_ives you back safely." Rubick said. For everyone in the room, this was the first time they saw the twitchy, eccentric and disfigured doctor showing his caring side to anyone.

She gave him a brief hug before she made her way to leave. She glanced at Zharvakko, still grinning. "Bye, Dr. Zharvakko." She waved at him. Turning to Carl, a flat expression replaced the bright smile she had before. "Carl." She acknowledged.

The security guard stepped aside to allow her to leave the room, escorting her back outside. When the door was closed again, Carl huffed. "At least she's an intellectual."

"I'm confident that she knows mo_r_e about the wo_r_ld than you do, Ca_r_l." Rubick challenged as he went back to sit down.

"Oh yeah." Zharvakko nodded, carefully taking the paper bag from Pugna's hands. "Dhere's a reason why she can handle Rubick."

Carl's silence indicated that they might as well be right, now moving his chair and approaching the two. Pugna and Penny stood behind them, also grabbing a pastry as Rubick started on the lunch that was lovingly made for him.

"Pugna, could you please not respond like that in public?" Penny pleaded.

"She called me a kid!" he retaliated.

"That's because you looked and acted like a kid! And you wonder why I won't stop calling you baby brother." Penny scolded.

Carl kept silent this time, indulging himself in the croissant that was brought. Zharvakko was the exact opposite, cackling like a madman as the nurse put the young doctor in place. Rubick meanwhile was in his own little world. He smiled stupidly; happy that his life, be it in the hospital or the coffee shop, was so vibrant and full of color. This was the brightest he's ever felt in his life, and the delicious lunch he was eating helped push that feeling forward.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

hey, we get to see the doctors again! that was fun!

also, some of you guys might be wondering: why does Pugna have a twin sister here?

well let me tell you guys a story: there was a time when i scowered the interwebs for fanart and i came across a r63 (genderbend) loli-Pugna. i thought "hm, that makes sense actually." and continued on. then as i went farther, i found out that there were more and more. it's not just a one off fanart, it's an actual thing. was pleasantly surprised.

so in the end, i felt like it would feel weird, so Penny, his twin sister/nurse, is an homage to that.

hope you guys had fun reading this!


	73. The Scion's Threat

**The Scion's Threat**

The bright, golden room illuminated by the grand chandelier over the ballroom. Posh, elegant men and women, mingling about as their intentions were clouded by the stiff air. The vast body of dignitaries, diplomats, nobles and world leaders interacting with one another in this important gathering. A meeting where the words from a silver tongue will determine the future of a third of the world, while the hidden dagger dictates the rest. The hidden world of the upper echelon.

And seeing all of this made her sick. She felt like she could throw up a whole week's worth of food. She could feel the nausea building up, and if it weren't for the tug on her arm, she would've passed out. She gave a quick glance to the person who tugged her, not surprised to see her sister holding a plate of assorted appetizers. She held an awkward smile as she offered it.

"Don't worry, Shen. In a few hours, we can go back home." Elodie said, though not really confident in her own words.

"You shouldn't have came along, Elodie." Shendel said as she plucked one of the appetizers.

"Yeah, but Zanria's listed as a +1, so there's nothing we can do about it." They both sighed defeatedly. "Don't worry, I'm sure the night will be over soon."

That's what she was counting on. But she wouldn't have been in this situation if it weren't for _**her**_.

_A Week Ago_

An early morning in for the sisters, waking up to greet the day with a fresh smile. The eldest sister was making breakfast for the both of them, as the youngest sister had her eyes locked in a textbook. But right now, as it has been, it was them against the world. A ring from the phone shook their routine.

"Elodie, can you get that?" Shendel asked, busy with the omelet she was making. She heard no response. "Elodie?" Still no response. Shendel sighed, moving to the phone. She answered it and put it on speaker as she went back to the stove. "Hello?"

She was met with silence at first, but the voice that would reply to her was one that would bring their hearts crashing down. "_Hello, dear sister!_" Shendel froze just as she grasped the handle of the frying pan. Even Elodie looked up from the book, eyes widened in horror. "_Is lovely Elodie with you right now._"

"What do you want, Zanria?" Shendel asked through gritted teeth.

A tsk-ing sound came from the other side of the phone. "_Now now, is that the way to greet your favorite sister?_"

Shendel could see Elodie quivering, her finger shushing her from making a sound. "How did you get this number?"

"_Oh, I just had a little chat with that ex of yours. Took some convincing, and a little force, to pry that out of him._" Shendel slammed her fists onto the stove, having the presence of mind to turn it off first.

"What did you do, Zanria?!" the middle sister's ominous chuckle echoed through the room.

"_I just had my most intimidating men chat with him, that's all. Don't worry, he's still in one peace._" An exaggerated gasp was heard from the phone. "_That's right! I was going to ask a favor from you! And maybe Elodie as well._"

Shendel was about to hang the phone up in anger, but Elodie's hand shot up to grabbed her sister's hand, stopping it. Shendel only relented because of that. "What do you want?"

"_Oh, nothing serious. Just that there's some gala coming up. I was invited a couple of months ago, but the Skywrath Corporation isn't ready yet. So you two will be going in my stead._"

"And what makes you think I'd want to do that?" Shendel asked, outraged at her sister's "request".

She was met with silence, thinking her sister had stop. But something like that would be too good to be true. "_You know, that ex of yours, that he's still in med school, right? And he worked so hard, studying all the damn time. He's almost done, you know?_" Shendel didn't like the direction Zanria was heading. "_After all this time, he's privileged enough to have the Skywrath Corporation paying for his tuition. It'd be a shame, if it all goes to waste._"

Elodie could see Shendel holding back the anger that was building up. She did her best to calm her sister down. A heavy handed sigh escaped Shendel, silently admitting defeat as she laid her head on the table. "…when and where?"

"_Excellent!_" Zanria said ecstatically, an ominous laugh following after. "_Hold on, let me get the invitation…_"

_Present_

Now here they were, the oldest and youngest of three sisters, taking part in an event they want no part of. They made an effort to stay away from the other people here, and so far it was working out for them. Dressed in dark blue gowns, they didn't stand out in the flashy ballroom. They separated themselves from any sort of group, standing in a quiet corner, content with just spending the night with themselves.

"This is nice." Elodie commented, earning a raised brow from her sister. "I mean the two of us hanging out in some event like this. It's been a while."

"I never liked them. Even before I was disowned." Shendel replied gruffly. "I mean before, I never really cared for it. But after _that_, seeing all this just brings back bad memories."

"Don't worry sis, at least we're together." Elodie said, comforting her sister.

"Well well, what do we have here?" Both sisters heard a voice they would not have expected. They slowly turned their heads to see a crimson dress draped over alabaster skin. Her sharp red eyes scanned over them, silently judging their form. And most of all, an elegant crown atop her deep, black hair. She smiled at them. "Aren't you a waitress at Dark Moon?"

Shendel stuttered with her words, fumbling on the plate she was holding as she handed it to Elodie. She straightened her dress and her form before addressing herself to the monarch. "Y-yes, your Majesty."

From behind her came a man dressed in regal green, with an even more extravagant crown on his graying hair. He draped his arm over the Queen's shoulder, a tipsy smile plastered on his face. "Akasha, come! I want to show off my swagger!"

Akasha rolled her eyes, prying her husband's arm off of her. "No." she told him flatly. "You're drunk, old, and you can't dance. I don't look forward to visiting the doctor's again."

Both sisters glanced at each other, surprised by the dynamic between the royal couple. "Bah! I want to strut my stuff!"

"Then ask our guests for a hand." Akasha told him. She smirked at the sisters, then back at him. "Why don't you ask these two sisters?"

Both Shendel and Elodie were surprised, perplexed even, by the Queen's suggestion to her King. King Ostarion seemed to take the suggestion to heart, rubbing his beard in thought, before smiling cheerily. He moved forward and grabbed Elodie's hand. "You!"

"M-me?" Elodie was beyond creeped out by the King. "But I'm not even old enough to drink yet."

"But you're old enough to dance. Let's go!" The King said as he dragged the youngest sister along with him to the dance floor.

Shendel was too surprised to even protest for her sister, seeing the King twirl her sister around. "Don't worry. He's old and harmless." The Queen said to her.

Shendel finally turned back to see Queen Akasha, standing next to her with a glass of wine in hand. The Queen continued smirking at her. "Uh, aren't you two afraid of scandals brewing?"

The Queen laughed mockingly, more so at the idea of such a thing. "That's the last thing we'll ever care about." She told Shendel with confidence. "Ostarion's bloody past is open for everyone to see, and you'd probably know the kind of crap people say about me behind my back. Some of them are even true."

"But, doesn't that paint a bad image of the royal family?" Shendel asked.

"Like I said; we don't care. Even if we're as clean as a sheet of paper, it's not gonna stop people from talking about us. Likewise, you can see that even if people know a thing or two about us, they can't do anything to topple the monarchy, 'cause it's not like Ostarion lead the country to poverty and disarray."

Shendel had her mouth open in awe at the Queen's resilience. "Wow, you really don't give a fuck, do you?" by this point Shendel felt comfortable speaking informally with the monarch.

Akasha shook her head, smiling. "Not one bit."

"About the rumors," Shendel returned to the topic they briefly glossed over. "did King Ostarion really spend billions into trying to find a way to immortality?"

"Oh yeah, for years before he found me on the streets." The Queen's upfront manner still came to a shock to Shendel. "He stopped because he found another way to "preserve his legacy"."

"Oh, and what's that?"

"To have kids." She stated as she sipped on her wine. "Yeah, that's it." She added, feeling Shendel's gaze on her. "There's nothing 'romantic' between us. Just mutual respect, me as the mother of his children, and him as the father of mine."

"That sounds… empty." Shendel commented.

Akasha shrugged, used to that kind of response. "Could've been worse. I could be rotting in a prison right now."

Now they were treading through paths Shendel didn't want to cross. She coughed awkwardly. "Uhm, let's talk about something else."

"Alright, let's do that." The Queen agreed. "Tell me what's going on with the Skywrath Corporation. You two are listed under it in the guest list, so I'm sure you can shed some light."

Shendel froze where she stood, her expression blank as the Queen unintentionally brought her back to the thing she was trying to forget. The Queen saw this, sighing before approaching the frozen waitress. She softly shook Shendel out of her catatonic state. The waitress thought the Queen would let it go, but Akasha held a no nonsense gaze, not too keen on dropping it. Shendel's shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Wh-what were the rumors?" Shendel asked for clarification.

"That two of the sisters fought each other, with one killing the other. The killer was thrown out of the house, disowned by the family." Akasha explained. "Leaving only one heir in the house, as the word around."

"That's the gist of it. Except not quite." Shendel sighed for what felt like the umpteenth time. "The 'heir' was the one that orchestrated everything. She tricked the youngest of us, which led to a quarrel between her and I. Whilst defending myself, I inadvertently struck Elodie. And wouldn't you know it, there were my parents and _Zanria_, staring at what had happened."

"How unfortunate." Queen Akasha responded. "And you were gone since then?"

Shendel nodded. "Been living in Elze with a family friend for years."

Shendel looked to the Queen, wanting to gauge her reaction, but Akasha's attention had shifted to somewhere else, her eyes sharp as if scanning for something. She pointed at what seemed like nothing. "You. Young man. Come here."

Then out of nowhere, a relatively short man appeared before her. Shendel blinked her eyes rapidly, wondering how she missed him. But most of all, she recognized who he was. "Riki?"

He forced a laugh that ended up sounding sorrowful. "Hey, Shen. Long time no see. Been a while, eh?"

"Yeah." _not since I left._ she thought. But the man who approached them now didn't look like how he was back then. It reminded her of herself.

"You must've eavesdropped on our stories, young man," Queen Akasha spoke with a layer of authority. "It's only fair of you to share your own."

Riki continued fidgeting uncomfortably, and this disturbed Shendel more than it should. This was not the Riki she remembered. "Uh, Riki? What's wrong?"

Akasha turned to Shendel, gauging the waitress again. "You have been out of the loop when it came to the politics of the upper echelon. What do you know of the Tahlin Dynasty?"

Shendel was caught off guard by the question, but she braced the answer to the inquiry. "The Tahlin Dynasty rules over a small island nation not too far from Elze. The Skywrath Corporation has a good partnership, especially when I was younger."

"That's why you two know each other, hm? Interesting." The Queen turned back to the young man, still shifting under the disheveled purple suit he wore. "Why don't you fill in the blanks for her? I'd love to hear it as well, coming directly from you."

Riki looked at the Queen, hating the pressure she was putting on him. He closed his eyes, to better brace for his own story. "There was a coup. We were betrayed." Shendel gasped, and instinct wanted her to ask him what happened, but Akasha stopped her. "They got everyone, except me. I don't want to talk about it anymore."

"It's alright, I'm sure we can piece together the missing pieces." Akasha said with a smirk. She glanced back to Shendel, expecting the waitress' response.

"So, they're gone? Just like that?" Shendel asked disbelievingly. When Riki nodded, she gasped. "Then, how did you get in? You wouldn't have gotten an invite."

"Are you kidding? I snuck in. I wanted to find anything about the people who masterminded the damned coup."

"And then what're you gonna do?" The Queen asked. She understood that he was now just a runaway man wanted in his own home. "You're gonna track these people down and kill them? This isn't some fantasy world."

Riki was at a loss for words, unable to come up with a better response. The silence made Shendel realize just how different Riki was from the Riki before, if he had even a tiny semblance of killing intent. _Who am I kidding._ she berated herself, realizing she thought no different than him a few years ago. "You wouldn't understand, you'd never have to go through this kind of thing." Riki said to the Queen, coming off more hostile than intended.

"It's true I might not understand the feeling of betrayal." She said, looking forlorn. Shendel guessed that it had to do with Luna, based on what the barista had told them. "But that feeling, of seeing your hands drenched in red, that's not a good feeling."

This seemed to frighten Riki more than he'd care to admit, backing away to the wall behind them. Queen Akasha bowed herself down, her back flat so she could be eye to eye with him. "And worst of all, it **exhilarated** me." Now Shendel was starting to feel fear rise up. "A never sated bloodlust that just grew and grew. In fact, sometimes I'd wake up in the middle of the night, heavy breathing as this uncontrollable rage surfaces."

Riki gulped down the air he didn't know he was holding. "W-w-w-wh-what did you do about it?" he asked cautiously.

A pleasant, calm smile replaced the dark aura the Queen had. "I leave the bedroom, and make my way to the room down the hall. And I let my eyes gaze upon the two angels that have given me the light that I needed in my life."

Riki was speechless by the complete 180 of the Queen's tone. She planted her hand on his head, holding him in place. "I'm not gonna stop you from whatever vengeance you're planning. But note that its not gonna be a path you'll remember fondly of. And at least get some help; you're not gonna survive out there alone when all you can do is hide."

Riki stuttered with his words, unable to form any sort of response for the Queen that had purposely kept her hands away from prying too deep into his affairs. Instead he returned to what he's always done in these situations; he turned tail and disappeared from the crowd. She brushed her hair as she straightened herself, a pleased smirk from having successfully gotten in the young man's skin. She turned back to the waitress, seeing her looking flabbergasted.

Shendel shook her head slowly. "How the hell did you end up being a Queen?" she asked.

Queen Akasha let out a jolly laugh for the waitress, a sincere smile now on her face. "You can ask Ostarion for that. It was all his doing after all."

As the Queen's domineering laugh resounded, Shendel marveled at how approachable she was. The many rumors that floated about the Queen also involved how much of a horrible person she was, especially in the photo shoots she would take part in. And there she was, laughing to the point of drawing some glances at her, sharing stories of her past with her. And it was thanks to her the Shendel actually enjoyed her time.

King Ostarion limped towards them, with Elodie holding his arm for support. He had a stupefied smile on his face. He patted Elodie's head gratefully when Akasha took a hold of him. "Haha, what a wonderful experience!" Elodie let out a shy laugh as she returned to her sister's side. "Come, Akasha. Let us leave, alert them of our departure."

"Yes, my King." Queen Akasha held the King by his arm, bracing him to take careful steps. She gave one last glance to the sisters, a smirk thrown their way. "Hope you to have a great night." She said, before leaving with the King.

The sisters looked on to the shrinking form of the monarchs, seeing them go farther and farther before eventually exiting the ballroom. A sharp dressed man came up onto the podium, announcing their leave, which signaled some other party goers to make their retreat as well.

Shendel turned to Elodie, intent on leaving as well, but flinched when she saw her sister's wide smile. "You had fun, didn't you?" Elodie teased.

Shendel blushed, making a frown to dissuade the younger sibling's teasing. "It's just a onetime thing." Shendel said as an excuse. "Doubt it'll happen again."

"_Sure_." Elodie giggled when Shendel's face turned redder.

"Whatever, we're going home!" Shendel announced, dragging Elodie along, as they made their way towards the exit.

But she really couldn't deny the fact, that Queen Akasha had managed to turn her most dreadful nights into something that was bearable for her. _No wonder she's friends with Luna._ She thought just as she was about to take her step outside.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

phew. man, i don't know how, actually planned on having this relatively short, but the words just kept on flowing. you know? it's crazy. i actually planned on a different chapter, but i didn't have the drive for that, so i started with this, and it just kept going.

also, a lot of people seem to want to remind me that Io is a "dude". need i remind you that Io, and technically the other 3 as well, are "its", right? they're manifestation of the four fundamentals of nature. it's just the other 3 have more obvious "genders".

the reason why i went with a female Io is because Io was named after a Priestess of Hera and one of Zeus' lovers, who he turned to some animal (a cow, i think? i don't remember) to hide her from Hera's wrath. or something like that.

now, i'm hoping people would stop pestering me about Io again.

anyway, with that out of the way, hope you guys enjoyed it!


	74. Questioning Pantheon

**Questioning Pantheon**

**From:** _Unknown_  
**Subject:** Cult  
_We would like to have a little chat._

Magina sighed as he locked his phone, pocketing it in his pants. A text message he had received when he was about to leave for work. He was almost late because of it thanks to freezing in shock when he read it. Still, it's been a few hours yet there was no development, but that didn't mean it was good news. If anything, it elevated the worry he had. An ominous feeling that loomed over him, waiting to constrict him when he's at his most vulnerable.

An audible gulp escaped him, as a trickle of sweat paved down the side of his face. He looked around, finding it odd that none of his co-workers were asking him about the obvious change in his behavior. He searched for Lanaya, knowing that she'd usually be the first to be on his case. It took a while, but he found her, taking the orders for a few patrons. Their eyes locked when she made her way towards Luna. Lanaya looked like she gasped, and immediately shifted her gaze away from him, continuing her way now that she was ignoring him.

_What the hell?_ He thought, wondering why now of all things led to the part-timer reacting that way. She showed more concern when he wasn't as disturbed as he is now before. Yet she's ignoring him. That affected him more than he thought. It was because of this that he only now realized that the others were also ignoring him. Mirana gave slight glances his way, before veering off. Shendel would be staring at him when he had his eyes somewhere else, but shift it elsewhere when he turned her way. Luna was the opposite; usually she'd be the last person to glance his way, but now she'd look at him with concern.

Only Sylla looked indifferent, but Magina didn't know whether he should be thankful or not.

He moved to a quiet corner, hoping for this whole thing to be over with. As he leaned on the corner of the corridor, his eyes fell on the opening door as a tall woman wearing an opera mask walking inside. His head tilted subconsciously, wondering where he's seen this woman before. The woman went straight to Luna, exchanging pleasantries and ordering her drink. Selemene appeared just as she turned away, with his boss giving the masked woman an inviting smile as she gestured her hand inside the corridor. The both of them nodded, with Selemene leaving the room as quickly as she appeared. With that over the woman then, much to Magina's horror, made her way towards him.

She closed the gap between them, her head tilting down as she stared into his eyes with her enticing red orbs. She slowly took off her mask, her scars being shown right in front of him. She smiled at him, whether from him almost quaking or something else entirely he did not know.

"Are you, perchanccce, Magina?" she asked him, licking her long, oddly serpentine tongue along her lips.

He gulped again. "Yeah. Who are you?" he asked her.

Her smirk deepened. "I am an interested party, here to have a little chat with you."

She dragged him along before he could form a coherent response, bringing him deeper inside. They made their way to the break room, coming face to face with Slithice, as she made her way out, no longer covered in bandages. She gave them a brief smile, a look of recognition on her eyes when she noticed the woman dragging him.

"Ah, Magina. Looks like your guest is here already. Don't worry, the break room is empty." She said, curtsying slightly.

"Guest? What are you talking about?" he asked, confused at Slithice's response.

The performer nodded at him. "Yes, Selemene received a call informing her of their arrival. Don't worry." She assured him.

"Their? And she told you?"

"Yes, she told everyone, she didn't want us to bother you." She explained.

"That's why people have been ignoring me." He said as he came to a realization.

Slithice nodded, before slipping away from them, giving the room to them. He felt the tall woman tug his arm again, dragging him inside the room. Within a moment, she sat him down on the chair and made her way to the other side of the table. They sat in silence soon after, with her tapping the outer ridges of her white mask. He himself sat there uncomfortably, worried at what the woman has planned.

"So…" he gulped for the umpteenth time. "what are we waiting for?"

A knock came from the door just as he finished his sentence. The door opened, showing Lanaya holding a tray with an odd looking yellow drink. She approached the woman, placing the drink on the table before giving a thumbs up to Magina for good luck as she left the room.

The woman sipped the drink that was brought to her, a pleased smile on her face. "Aside from the drink that jussst arrived, we are waiting for my colleague, who'sss bringing someone elssse along with him."

She stood up, leaning far forward and extending her hand. "Agent Gorgon. But you can call me Medusssa."

After a short while apprehension, Magina drew out his hand to meet hers. "Magina."

They shook hands, but Magina still felt the slight apprehension growing inside him. The woman introducing herself did nothing to alleviate his worry, so all that was left for him to do was to wait for the woman's colleague. _Wait a minute…_ something was turning in his mind, realizing that he's seen the woman's face and mask before.

His eyes widened, coming to a revelation on who she actually is. "You're that agent that was on TV." He stated.

"Yesss that isss me." Medusa replied. "I thought that info wasss obviousss."

Magina sighed. "I guess my mind was somewhere else."

"Then hopefully it'll come back when you friend arrivesss too." She told him.

Magina blinked confusedly at the agent's words. "Friend?" the words came out of him unsurely.

Another knock resounded in the room, an intimidating presence managing to alert Magina from outside. The door opened slowly, a hulking man ducking so he could enter the room. Magina had his mouth opened, dumbstruck as Sven made his way to an empty chair. He set aside his horned helmet on the table. Coming in after him was the more mysterious man who still had his purple helmet on, though now devoid of the protruding sides. He sat opposite of Sven, with now the four of them taking each side.

Magina went straight to Sven. "What the hell are you doing here? I thought you were gonna leave the city." He asked, coming off more furious than he intended.

Sven scratched the back of his head sheepishly, unbecoming of a large man such as him. "The City Guards caught wind of me before I could leave. Been locked up since."

"When we heard that thisss man also had passst dealingsss with the Cult, we had to take the necessary stepsss to free him." Medusa explained to them.

"Good thing the Guard Captain was cooperative." The other agent added, nodding along with his arms crossed over his chest. He turned to face Magina. "Agent Void. You can call me Terrance, or Terry."

"Now then, why don't we get straight to businesss?" Medusa said, leading the little conversation along. "So, you two have past dealings with the Cult of the Undying, correct?"

Both Magina and Sven nodded. "Z.E.U.S., don't forget to record this." Terry said to the room.

"_Why would you order a **GOD** to do your menial tasks?!_" their cellphones resounded. Both Magina and Sven took out their respective phones, placing it on the table.

"'Cause you're good at it." Replied Terry in an indifferent manner. "Take it as a compliment."

The AI responded with static, before filling the room with silence once more. Medusa nodded to herself, intent on continuing the conversation. "Before we go into detail on what you two had wrapped yourselvesss in, can you tell us of anyone elssse that was part of your little group?"

Sven looked away from the agent's red eyes while Magina shook his head to himself. "There were a dozen of us, but most had to leave lest the Cult would tear them apart." He shivered from a closed off memory. "What started off as an investigation led to us running for our lives, as their numbers outnumbered us."

"The others, they are hard to contact. Hopefully they have successfully hidden themselves, but there's a possibility that the Cult has gotten to them." Sven added, sweating from fear of the thought. "Aside from Magina and myself, I know of two that should still be standing strong."

"Karroch had said that he would seclude himself in the Hoven Woods, and he has no access to any sort of technology." Magina elaborated.

"And we had Brad, a former warden of a defunct prison. Don't know where he went, but he's a bit bloodthirsty, so he might not be far from any sort of conflict." Sven shook his head, mostly from how tired he felt. "He was the one adamant that we kept on heading on this task of ours, and it took the rest of our unanimous decision to convince him that we had to leave before it was too late."

"So you only have two othersss that you know of their current situation?" Medusa asked.

"Yes, the others, we have no idea of where they are now or even if they're still alive. But those two, we assure you that they're still around." Magina said to the agents.

"Hey, Magina." Sven called out. The waiter turned to face his friend, wonderingly. "Who are these people?"

"You didn't ask them?" he replied, more surprised than anything.

"No, all I cared was that someone was bailing me out." Magina face palmed, but he didn't bother with an answer.

"We are agents from the Pantheon Group." The helmeted agent answered for him. "We are a third party group, and right now the two of us are assigned the task of rooting out the Cult of the Undying. Specifically within this city."

"So you're not going to search for them anywhere else?" Sven asked.

"Depending on what we achieve here, and with you." Medusa answered.

Both men sighed, a sudden pressure now on their shoulders. "Alright, then what can we help you with?"

"We jussst need to know every little pieccce of information you people have acquired during your travailsss."

"Alright then, I'll start." Sven said immediately. "It started when the few of us found out that one of the corrupt nobles on this city had ties to some unknown society. The first few of us, including myself and Magina, broke into this noble's house after his execution, trying to uncover more about what was going on. From there, we found a connection with the other executed nobles, and searched their houses as well."

"All of that led to us finding out that these nobles had a separate house for their gatherings. Naturally, we went straight there. We expected to find something about what this was all about, but we weren't expecting to find a bunch of people that were either burning or collecting anything inside it. When they saw us, they attacked us immediately. We held out strong, but for all of them, except myself, that was the first time they had to take a life. I say it was worth it, from what we uncovered."

"The Cult of the Undying, a cult that had sowed its seed deep within the society from decades worth of work. It was terrifying." Magina said, taking Sven's place. "The first few of us then decided together, we would leave what we had then and try to root this problem out. On the way, we had attracted fellow people who knew of this cult as well. And rooting Elze was the easiest part of this task we had set out to accomplish."

"This group grew little by little till we were a dozen, but that's enough for what we thought was a simple task of investigation. All the things we uncovered, if it was a bit too hard to do at our vigilantic level, we set out the local authorities, sending them anonymous packages of incriminating documents. We thought we were doing a great job with what we accomplished."

"But then we reached Turstarkuri." Sven continued, as Magina started looking disturbed. "It was a desolate wasteland, as if only death lived there. Dried dead forests, empty roads in a ravaged city. It confused us, because all information we had uncovered led us here, yet it felt like we were lost, or that we may have been misled. But no, we weren't. We went straight to where they were holed up. And they were waiting for us."

"It was like some zombie apocalypse, as thousands of bodies descended on us, coming from every nook and cranny in the city. We had no choice but to run away, and we didn't stop till we crossed the borders." Sven sighed heavily, wiping the sweat off his forehead. "From then on, we came to a conclusion that this was something beyond what any of us were capable, and decided to part ways."

With the story over, the agents conversed quietly with each other, discussing on how they would further approach this. Both Sven and Magina was mentally spent, having to relive a memory that they wanted to forget. Recent happenings especially made them weary.

"Do you still have these documents you two spoke of?" Terry asked.

Magina shrugged at him. "Maybe? It's not with either of us. Oh, yeah, I remember now. Karroch took them."

"That would make sense." Sven agreed. "Him living secluded from society means that it's in safe hands."

"So all we need to do isss find him. Shouldn't be too hard for Z.E.U.S." Medusa said. She stood up, alerting them. "As of now, we have sufficient information to continue our mission, but don't take thisss asss the end of our cooperation."

Terry stood up beside her, straightening his shirt. "We will contact you two further, especially when we find your allies. Stay safe." He said to them as he opened the door, allowing Medusa to leave before him.

Magina collapsed his head onto the table, happy that he was at least done with it. He heard movement coming from beside him, guessing that Sven had stood up as well. "I'll take my leave again, Magina. I'll probably have to rent out a room in some motel."

"Yeah, sure." Magina responded flatly. He felt Sven pat his back, before the larger man made to leave the room, leaving him alone.

He sat there, his face on the table, for what felt like an eternity to himself. He sighed again, the sighing turning into steady breathing, his body almost falling asleep but his mind not allowing it. He heard the door opening again, with countless steps following suit. He could already guess who it was, or were in fact, that had entered the break room.

He felt a jacket being draped onto him, with a soft hand now tousling his hair. He felt a warm air near his cheek when a drink was placed next to his head. He stayed like that until he felt that he needed to greet the people that had come to keep him company.

Mirana sat beside him; it was her hand that was now on his head. Shendel and Lanaya sat side by side, with the part-timer holding an empty tray that she had used to carry the drink that was next to him. Slithice sat across from him, a smile of understanding on her face. Even Mortred had now showed herself, carrying her own tray of her still warm croissants. He could feel the intimidating air coming from behind him, the chair now immovable as Luna leaned her whole weight on it. He just realized that it was her jacket on him.

"'Mene and Sylla send their regards, Magi." Mirana said to him, her hand tousling his hair to assure him that they were there for him. "Don't worry, it'll be over soon."

"Worst comes to worst, Luna could step in and kick their asses." Lanaya said, with the whole of them now laughing.

Magina smiled and nodded. It was at this moment that he was glad he had a job in Dark Moon. Else he would have been in a lower state than he was now, and he was grateful. So he took the drink and sipped it, glad to be rid of that hurdle.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

woo, more on Magina, along with Sven!

and big thing here guys! barring the two heroes that aren't released yet, the only heroes that have not appeared yet are:  
1\. Magnus  
2\. Viper  
3\. Weaver  
4\. Spectre  
5\. Lich

of course this is all off the top of my head, so i _might've_ skipped someone.

anyway, my point is: you guys can request on who's gonna appear next! and no, they're not just gonna "appear", whoever you guys pick will have more than just a cameo (unlike the two that were mentioned in this chapter). so, go right ahead!

and hope you guys enjoyed this!


	75. A Professor's Return

**A Professor's Return**

"Lanaya! Lanaya! Wait up!" Rylai called out as she ran down the campus corridor towards her scarf-clad friend.

Lanaya stopped her feet as she turned to greet her blonde friend. Her eyes widened in surprise when she realized that Rylai was moving faster than she expected, already close to colliding with her. She had no chance to move herself out of the way, bracing the impact of Rylai as the blonde sent them both tumbling on the ground. After a moment of dizziness, Lanaya quickly looked around, sighing with relief at the relatively empty campus and shrugging the very few stares that were going their way.

She got herself off the ground and helped Rylai do the same, dusting off their clothes. "Jeez, Rylai. You usually just take your time when you walk, why were you running so fast?"

"Oh I don't know, guess I was feeling a bit hasty?" Rylai said with a light giggle added. "Hey, what classes did you get? I wanna see if we share any classes."

Lanaya rolled her blue eyes at her shorter friend as she pulled out a piece of paper from her bag. "Probably another Philosophy class, as always." She said, holding the paper out so Rylai could see.

Rylai leaned in, inspecting said paper. "Haha, yeah as always. Hey look! We share three classes!"

"That's great!" Lanaya replied ecstatically. "We only get to see Yurnero and Jah'rakal during Philosophy, so what are Lina's classes like?"

"Well we'd all share two classes with her, but not the three of us at the same time." Rylai said. She took the schedule from Lanaya's hands, inspecting it further. "Looks like we also share a lot of free time…" she said onward.

"Hey, did you hear that Commander Tresdin is in the campus?" Lanaya's ears perked up when she heard those words uttered by a passing freshman.

"Yeah, wonder what she's doing here?" the other freshman said as they walked farther from the two girls.

Lanaya stared at their backs as her mind wondered for a bit, ignoring whatever Rylai was saying. The blonde didn't realize it at first, but when she did she was wondering herself on what Lanaya was thinking that made her phase out like so. She tried calling out to her friend, still unresponsive, before she resorted to shaking the veil wearing girl.

Lanaya was shaken out of her thoughts, turning to Rylai's confused stare. "What?"

"You were out of it." Rylai said. "Do you have something on your mind?"

"Uh, yeah." Lanaya replied, her gaze drifting off again. A smirk appeared behind her scarf. "Hey, come with me for a while." She said, grasping Rylai's wrist.

"He-hey! Wait a minute!" Rylai protested. "Slow down, will you?!" she yelled out, but her words fell on deaf ears as Lanaya continued dragging her along.

They maneuvered around the campus, as Lanaya searched everywhere for the whereabouts of the commander, leading Rylai along as the poor girl was still in the blind on what Lanaya's true intentions were. Despite her earlier sprint, she's not one to enjoy these fast walks as her legs now tire thanks to Lanaya's rush.

When Lanaya abruptly stopped, their momentum had Rylai crashing face first into Lanaya's back, though this time they did not topple over. She rubbed her nose with her free hand before she stood on her toes to peer over Lanaya's shoulder, wondering what caught Lanaya's interest. She followed her gaze locking on a dark skinned woman dressed in gold and red, looking as intimidating as the air around her.

"Lanaya, who is she?" Rylai asked.

"Commander Tresdin." She replied. "I want to know what she's up to here."

"The commander from Stonehall? What is she doing here?" Rylai questioned, now with her own curiosity piqued.

Lanaya had a mischievous grin hidden by her scarf as she glanced back at her blonde friend. "That's what we're here to find out."

"Come!" Lanaya whispered, drawing her friend along her path as they snaked around, moving closer to the commander but making sure they weren't found out.

In the wide and relatively empty courtyard, Lanaya brought Rylai to a bench that overlooked the commander, who was waiting impatiently by herself. Lanaya took out a piece of bread she had brought as a snack, tearing off a piece that she fed to Rylai, who was surprised by this attempt at subtlety. She bit on the piece, giving an appreciative yet awkward smile at Lanaya.

She stared at Lanaya, who occasionally shifted her gaze to the commander. "Are we pretending to be in a date?" Rylai asked cheekily.

"Sure, uhuh." Lanaya replied, not really listening to Rylai.

Rylai, despite Lanaya's unfavorable response, played her part in this supposed "date" they were having, but not even she could keep her eyes away from Commander Tresdin, as Lanaya's curiosity seeped into her. She continued spouting random sentences, playing the part of a smitten girlfriend, but she could already sense that her act would just drawn attention to them. Luckily for them, nobody was around.

"Hey, what are we supposed to be waiting for?" she asked Lanaya, tired of keeping this farce.

"Something, anything." Lanaya said to her. "There's gotta be a reason why some military commander is doing here."

"Could that be why?" Rylai said, pointing to a person who approached the commander.

Lanaya followed where Rylai was pointing, and a sharp gasp escaped her, startling Rylai. "What? What's wrong?" Rylai asked concerned, but Lanaya just gulped. Her eyes were now focused on a man wearing a dark set of Kevlar armor, his riot shield strapped to his back and a bludgeon on his waist. The visor of his helmet had a dark reddish orange glow.

The Commander, noticing the armored man approaching her, recoiled slightly as she stood unsuspecting of his appearance. She eyed him warily. "Wow, I thought they were joking when they told me to expect a man in armor." She commented, still surprised. "I was told that we were to talk with the man, not threaten him."

"What I wear is irrelevant, Commander." The man said to her, his deep voice resounding throughout the courtyard. "Come. The professor should still be in the premises."

"Are you sure though? It's still college break; only a few students are around, getting their business sorted for next semester." Tresdin said with a small amount of skepticism.

The man stared at her, his helmet made it hard for her to gauge his response. "Just get moving and this whole ordeal will be over with." He ordered.

Tresdin was a bit perplexed by the man's commanding tone; she could feel him holding some sort of seniority over her. She sighed. This wasn't how she wanted to spend her once-free day. "Alright. Lead the way."

With a heavy nod, he continued down the path, with the Commander following his steps. Lanaya drew in a sharp breath, regaining her composure as she stood up from the bench. She took long breaths to calm her down, allowing Rylai to join her. "You could hear what they were saying?" she asked, remembering her friend's intuitive hearing.

"Yeah." Was Lanaya's only response.

"Something's up with that guy." She said.

Lanaya turned to face her friend, a cautious gaze on her eyes. "Don't ever let him speak to you. Or near you."

"Why?" Rylai questioned, eyes wide with a hint of fear. "What's up with him?"

"I don't know, he's something else. Just stay beside me, okay?" Rylai nodded fearfully, before she was dragged along again.

They followed behind their path, Lanaya making sure they kept a great distance before them. Her sharp eyesight combined with her impeccable hearing made stalking the two people a cakewalk for her. Rylai could only squint her eyes to get a glimpse of them, and with Lanaya making sure that the blonde was behind her, Rylai felt like she was a VIP being escorted around.

The Commander and the armored man stopped in front of a door to a professor's office, where they waited once more, though the Commander had an annoyed look on her face.

"Isn't that Professor Ethreain's office?" Lanaya asked the blonde, who took said professor's class the previous semester.

Rylai looked over her friend's shoulder, sharpening her gaze so she could see what Lanaya had no trouble with. "Uh, yeah. It is." She confirmed, concerned with what the Commander and the armored man would have to do with the professor.

From the far corner, the both of them kept their eyes on the two, expectant of what might happen before them. After a while, the door opened, revealing an old, balding man greeting them. He moved to the side and gestured the two to enter. When the door closed both Lanaya and Rylai ran towards the office, taking lighter steps when they neared it as to not alert the people inside. Upon reaching the door, the blonde planted her ear onto it while Lanaya peaked through the keyhole.

"What do you see?" Rylai whispered to her friend.

Lanaya squinted her eye, trying to see what was inside. "The two of them, are sitting down." She said.

"Where's professor Ethreain?"

"Hold on…" she tried her best to look around the room, despite how close to impossible it was. "Ah, he's making them tea."

Rylai let out a muffled chuckle. "Yeah, that sounds like him."

Inside the room, the old professor returned to his table, setting the two cups of tea for his guests. He took his place on his chair, his hands joining as he gauged the two intimidating people in front of him, one more so than the other. "To what do I owe this pleasure, Commander? I hope I didn't do something to offend anyone, least of all the military."

"No, professor. We are here on other matters." She turned to the man to her side, who had already finished his tea. She furrowed her brows, wondering when he took off his helmet to drink. She coughed, mostly to herself to alleviate the odd suspicion. "He can further explain the situation."

The man set down the teacup, flexing his neck before he addressed the professor. "There will be war approaching, and we need to take the necessary precautions."

"A war? Really?" the professor replied skeptically. Outside, Rylai gasped at the news, though Lanaya already knew of it.

The armored man nodded, leaning forward onto the table. "I do not know if the war will spread to these lands, but there is still a possibility."

Lanaya saw a smirk forming on the professor's face that sent shivers down her spine. "And why would I be of use?"

"King Ostarion himself called for you, professor, when this news was relayed to him." The Commander said. "Said that you were integral in the past wars."

At this, Lanaya and Rylai glanced at each other, surprised by the news. "I may have, though most would not take my actions lightly." The professor chuckled deeply, creeping the two students out.

"What did you in fact do, professor?" the Commander asked. "I was still young during the last war, and I wasn't born in the war before that."

A dark laughter escaped the professor again. Rylai was the one mostly horrified, the professor she got to know was far different than the one inside. "People would most likely remember how I had part in the formula, for the kingdom's defenses. But I had a hand in darker matters."

"What do you mean?" she asked again.

"There is a reason why this kingdom did not have any prisoners of war, Commander Tresdin." The armored man said with his deep voice and his words shaking her very core. "Professor Ethreain has many methods to deal with such things."

"I took the designs of the gassing chambers that the nation of Levinthal had employed. And instead of gas, you'll see their systems freeze from the inside out." He chuckled to himself, unnerving the Commander who had a look of disgust and the two students outside. "I'm sorry, just reminiscing."

Though her face still contorted, she gave a mild mannered smile at the professor. "I can see why then his Majesty would take a liking to you."

"Yes, yes. Horrific, gory deaths always interested King Ostarion." The professor looked contemplative. Leaning on to his clasped hands, he stared at the Commander. "Tell the King that I will think through this proposition. I still have students to teach, and I do not like the idea of another war taking up my free time."

Before the Commander could respond, the armored man stood up abruptly, alerting her. "That is fine. Come, Commander, we're leaving."

Both Lanaya and Rylai stood up instantly, running away from the door before they could get caught for listening on to what was supposed to be a private conversation. The returned to the previous corner, peaking over carefully as the door opened. Commander Tresdin left first with the armored man closing the door behind them. She turned to face him as the door shut.

"So what the hell are you supposed to be?" she asked, sounding irritated. "What was supposed to be a day at home now had me here at Ultimyr, with some man in a suit of armor intent on bringing an old professor back into some war that we might not take part in."

The armored man raised his head, glaring down at the Commander. "These turn of events were already laid out, Commander. It was inevitable. So why don't you report back to your King and be done with your day?" he said to her, his voice heavy with a mocking tone.

The Commander did not take his tone lightly, planting her fist on his chest and holding him in place. "Don't speak to me in such manner."

The armored man glanced down at her fist. Barely phased, he brought his hand to her wrist and effortlessly moved it. Now it was the Commander's turn to struggle. Before she tried to keep her fist on him but now she was trying to free her hand from his grasp. "Tread carefully, **Commander**. If you think you can come at odds with me, you may find yourself in another situation not unlike _Stonehall_."

Tresdin was now at a loss for words, though her face had contorted into anger at the armored man.

"Why must an agent of chaos cause such disruptions?" The Commander flared her gaze to the approaching woman. Seeing the sight of her; such white hair, skin and pleasant looking robe, somehow calmed her down.

Even Rylai was in awe by her appearance, though Lanaya wasn't as surprised. The new woman shook her head, disapprovingly. "Oh, Brother. Ever so antagonizing." She walked towards the armored man, taking his hand off of Tresdin's. The woman gave an apologetic look to the Commander. "I do apologize for him, Commander. But we best be leaving." She turned to her brother one last time. "We have a tight schedule."

"Then let us be on our way." He said to her.

She smiled a smile that radiated a warm feeling to all who saw her, and dragged her brother down the corridor. When they reached the end, a sudden white light consumed them, and within a moment they had disappeared. The Commander, and the two students who were spying, were slack jawed. Tresdin sighed immediately, the whole process just barely containing her.

She waved her arms to herself. "Whatever. It's not my business whatever the hell they are." She said before heading down the corridor, intent on heading home. She was sure the King wouldn't mind her taking the rest of her supposed off day.

With the Commander walking farther away, the two students who watched the whole ordeal turned to each other. "Okay, what did you drag me into?!" Rylai yelled out. "This is all so crazy! It's too much!"

"Hey, blondie, calm down." Lanaya assured, her hands planted to the side of Rylai's head. "Those two, they're not human. That's for sure, I know it."

"You've met them before?" Rylai started to hyperventilate but made sure to calm herself with the help of Lanaya.

"Yeah, at you-know-where." Lanaya said ambiguously. "And make sure everything we heard inside stays between us, okay?" Rylai nodded. "It's a secret that we'll make sure no one else knows."

"I'm glad you two think that way." Both girls jumped in surprise, startled by the professor that had appeared before them.

"Professor Ethreain! You knew?!" Lanaya asked, wondering how the professor found out about them.

"I have cameras set up around my office, girls. Don't think it'd be that easy to sneak by me." He said, pointing to one of the cameras.

Lanaya bowed down, apologizing to the professor. More so because she got caught in the act. She glanced at Rylai, seeing the blonde's eyes furrow with concern.

"Professor…" she started, now Lanaya realizing what was bothering her. "was everything that man said true?"

"Of course!" he responded, a little too eagerly. "How else did you think I completed my research?"

Rylai looked like she was about to hyperventilate again, so Lanaya grabbed the blonde's hand, holding it tightly. Rylai let out a calmed sigh. "But why? Wasn't it, torture? They were people…" she asked still in disbelief.

The old professor tilted his head, a pleasant smile unlike the wicked one he displayed to his two guests. "Rylai, sometimes we have to lose our humanity to find answers that are hindered by our morality." He patted her cheek, though her eyes were widened, shocked by his reason. He left the two students, heading back to his office. "You'll be in my class next semester, yes? Hope you still have your enthusiasm!" he said before entering his office.

Lanaya looked at the blonde, seeing her friend disheartened and exhausted. Rylai slapped her cheeks with her hands, trying to get herself back together. She smiled what seemed like a still broken smile at Lanaya. "Let's get out of here. I'm tired." She said.

Lanaya smiled, taking off her green scarf and wrapping it around Rylai for comfort. "Let's get some lunch. I'll call the guys; we can have a nice get together."

Rylai's broken smile turned bright, liking the plan Lanaya put forth. "I'd love that!"

"I knew you would!" Lanaya said, dragging her friend along as they made their way to leave the campus. She felt guilty in bringing Rylai along her need for secrets, but what's done is done, and now they could only stand by and wait.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

well, since people didn't actually request on which hero to be next featured, i went with Lich (which leaves us with Magnus, Viper, Weaver and Spectre).

also, woo! 75 chapters!

hope you guys had a blast reading this, especially when you're here from the beginning! and i hope you guys enjoyed reading this chapter too!


	76. Trio Reunited

**Trio Reunited**

Tresdin held her head with her hand, the growing migraine causing her a great deal of pain as she walked down the pavement. She wished she could throw away her umbrella and let the rain cool her head off, but she knew that would just create more problems for her in the near future. She stopped shade that protruded from a building, taking a short break. She leaned forward slightly, gauging the grey skies. Summer was ending, leaving behind tears as autumn will soon embrace the city.

She sighed as she straightened back. Her hand went to her head, combing through her damp hair. This had been a very disappointing week for her, and she had walked around the city, hoping to find something to alleviate her stress. She even opted to not just lump herself in some bar, trying her best in going for her usual first choice in these situations. She was now regretting not at least having a drink at hand.

"Fuck!" she cursed out, with the migraine that was still as strong as ever.

Out of boredom at not having anything else to do as she waited the rain, she looked at the building she was standing beside. _Dark Moon Coffee Shop_ she read, her eyes squinting in thought. "Where have I heard that before?"

She pondered for a brief moment, before finally deciding on entering the supposed coffee chop. She thought that she could perhaps dry off in a warmer atmosphere than what she was experiencing right now.

And she was right. Upon opening the door, she felt the warm air touch her face and couldn't help but smile, relief washing over her face. The sudden pang from her migraine reminded her that her situation had not fully resolved itself yet.

"Ah, so you finally decided to show up?" her eyes flashed open when she heard that voice. She immediately centered on the barista that called out to her, seeing an amused smirk on the barista's face. "Was wondering if you were going to leave me hanging."

Luna gestured towards one of the stools near her counter, motioning Tresdin to sit down in front of her. The Commander, after getting out of her stupor, closed her umbrella and went straight to the offered seat. She still however hadn't uttered a single word after she seated herself, simply staring at Luna in disbelief as the barista cleaned the coffee mugs she had in her hand.

"So wha'cha want?" Luna asked, leaning on top of the counter as she leveled herself with Tresdin.

Tresdin looked up; eyeing the selection till another jolt from her migraine caused her to wince in pain. Even Luna backed away, surprised at what was happening to her friend. She chuckled, staring at Tresdin pityingly. She turned her head up, looking around the room for a certain someone.

"Mirana, do you have any medicine?" Luna called out to the manager, who had just entered from the break room.

Mirana looked back at Luna with a raised eyebrow. "Why?" she asked plainly.

"A friend here isn't feeling too well." Luna told the manager. Mirana's face softened, satisfied with the answer as she went back inside toward the break room. Luna leaned closer to Tresdin, planting her hand on the Commander's shoulder. "Hold tight." She said.

Tresdin did just that, clutching the side of her head as she tried to stay as still as possible. She kept her gaze straight, coincidentally staring directly at Luna's abdomen. A moment later she saw movement for the edge of her vision.

"What do you need?" The manager asked as she planted a small bag on the counter.

"What is it? Migraine?" Luna guessed as she questioned Tresdin, who after a short pause slowly nodded.

Mirana opened the small bag, searching for the appropriate medicine to give to the pained Commander in front of her. Although it only took a few seconds, it felt like hours for Tresdin when Mirana finally fished out a peculiar looking tablet. Luna immediately took it out of the manager's hands and placed it on the countertop. Balling her hand into a fist, she slammed it down onto the tablet, shattering it to pieces. Tresdin winced slightly though Mirana gasped aloud.

"Why did you do that?" she asked, surprised and confused. Luna meanwhile carefully gathered the shattered and dusted remains of the tablet into her hand and pouring it into a small cup.

She then moved to her station with the cup in hand, going straight to fixing up a drink for her pained friend. Mirana sighed, shaking her head but with a smile on her face as she took the bag and went her separate way. Tresdin could only watch Luna working the machines with ease, seeing the former terror to society handling such a task as if she was born with that ability. She didn't say it outright, but she was amazed.

After a while Luna came back to Tresdin, presenting a mug of peculiar looking hot milk. "Mixed it in with that." Luna said, pushing the mug closer to Tresdin.

Tresdin had an odd feeling of both trepidation and relief. _Medicinal Milk_. The closest thing she knew like those were the syrups she had when she was a child. She cupped the mug with both her hands and slowly brought it to her lips. After a moment, she drank it, letting it flow down her throat. She savored the bitter chocolate flavor the milk had, and that alone seemed to put her at ease, though her migraine only very partially subsided.

"It sure is a damn coincidence you decided to drop by here today, Tresdin." Luna said, smirking at her.

"What do you mean?" Tresdin responded as she set the mug back down.

Luna chuckled, shaking her head in amusement. "I'll give you three guesses as to who's gonna join me today. And the first two don't count."

Almost immediately Tresdin's eyes shot open, before she groaned at the idea of the person that would join them that day. "Seriously?" she asked, unwilling to believe.

"Yeah, she called me up yesterday, saying she wanted to drop by." Luna explained, still chuckling at Tresdin's apparent discomfort. "I'm sure you two aren't as sour as before."

"We still don't mesh well together. That's just a fact." Tresdin said complainingly. All of a sudden her migraine wasn't as bad as before. "When did she say she'd be here?"

"After she drops her kids off." Luna said to her. "She should've been here quite a while ago though. Must be the rain, causing traffic."

Tresdin's cringed at the thought. "Oh, so I would've came to see her smug face if she wasn't late?"

Luna gave a simple shrug to the Commander. "It would've been the same either way."

"Oh, what is this? A party without me?" It was only a coincidence that when Tresdin heard those words uttered that a sudden jolt came from her migraine, but at that very moment she shifted all possible blame to the person that had just entered the coffee shop.

She turned on her stool to shut the woman up before she could speak further, but any words she wished to spout died at the tip of her tongue when she saw the woman holding a miniature version of herself, who was waving at the two of them ecstatically. Behind the woman was her sharp dressed bodyguard, standing at attention as he held her closed umbrella.

The mini monarch had a way of putting a smile on people's faces, as her youthful personality was a welcome change to their tiring adult life. Tresdin almost forgot about her migraine when the Monarch and her child joined them on the counter.

"Aunt Luna! Aunt Tres!" the child called out excitedly as the Queen sat her atop the counter. Luna planted her hand on the child's head, causing her to giggle.

"Aren't you supposed to be in school?" Luna asked the monarchs.

"Some flooding going on at her school." Akasha explained as she held her daughter's hands.

"And your son? He still went to school?"

"Of course. Leon will be taking the crown; Ostarion wants the best for and from him." Akasha turned her gaze to the Commander she sat next to, flashing a pleasant smirk her way. "Surprised to see you here Tresdin."

"Just hiding from the rain is all." Came the Commander's excuse. Somehow the look Akasha gave her indicated that the monarch didn't believe her.

"It took a while after I invited her a couple of months ago to show up here." Luna said before she went to her station, intent on creating something for the two royalties.

"I've been a bit preoccupied with work." Tresdin said to the barista. "It's been especially taxing as of recent weeks." She shifted her gaze to Akasha, looking slightly annoyed. "Why are you here yourself?"

"Nikka wanted to see her warm Aunt Luna." Akasha said with a smile. Nikka flashed a toothy grin at the other women as well. "I also wanted to see my favorite barista. Do I need a reason other than that?"

"I just didn't know you two managed to catch up, and make amends." Tresdin said, her face scrunching up in disbelief. "When you told me how you left things, I thought it'd take a while."

"It did take a while, but we're both adults. We got through it." Akasha said confidently.

"She also bribed me with her kid." Luna said as she appeared with the drinks for the Queen and her child; a latte for Akasha and a simple hot chocolate for Nikka.

Tresdin's mouth hung open in understanding. "Ah, yeah. She did that to me too." Both Tresdin and Luna shared a laugh.

"I don't remember giving Nikka to you, Tresdin." Akasha said with a raised brow.

"You didn't need to when the little rascal came running at me." Nikka giggled when she was reminded of that memory.

But then her face contorted, her mind stuck on one thought that got her wondering. She turned to her mother with a confused look on her face. "Mommy?" she called out.

Akasha faced her daughter, granting Nikka a soft motherly smile. "Yes sweetie?"

"What does 'bribe' mean?" Nikka asked childishly with her head tilted.

Both Luna and Tresdin laughed at the question, causing the child's cheeks to turn a shade of red. But she kept her gaze on her mother, still wanting an answer to her question. Akasha, after glaring at the other two women for making Nikka uncomfortable, returned to her daughter with a comforting smile like any mother would give their child.

"A 'bribe' is when you make someone do something for you by giving them something else." Akasha explained using the simplest words she could for Nikka.

Nikka's contorted face fell, with her mouth forming a frown. "Does that mean Aunt Luna and Aunt Tres don't like me?"

"Of course they like you!" Akasha said, comforting her child. "That's why it worked, sweetheart!"

"Really?" Nikka asked, sounding sad and concerned though a bit hopeful.

"Yes, kid. We do." Luna sad, planting her chin on Nikka's head, with her hands on the girl's shoulders. She sneaked a glance at Tresdin. "Right, Tredin?"

Despite the migraine, Tresdin scooted her stool closer to the child. "That's right, Nikka. We really do like you."

This seemed to cheer Nikka up, as she put on a bright smile for the three people circling her. She giggled bashfully at their praise, now happily swinging her feet to and fro on the counter. The small group laughed with each other, not noticing the approaching figure that came from behind Luna. The Queen however was the first to see this person.

"It's a great pleasure to have you here again, your Majesty." Selemene said as she greeted the monarch.

Akasha returned the owner of Dark Moon's greeting with a smile. "Please, the pleasure is all mine."

Selemene showed a pleased look on her face, before she turned to the monarch's daughter. "And you, young one? Enjoying yourself?" Nikka hummed her approval. "Would you like a little tour of my coffee shop? I'm sure you'll have fun."

Nikka turned to her mother with a hopeful look on her face, eager to explore the building. Akasha rolled her eyes at her daughter's enthusiasm, but she smiled either way. "You can go, sweety. Just be careful, alright?"

Nikka was giddy with joy, and got back down with the help of her mother. Selemene appeared before them, crouching to match Nikka's height. She took the little girl's hand in her own, and slowly they moved about the coffee shop, taking their time as Nikka looked around with wide eyed wonderment. Now back at the counter, with just the three of them, Tresdin let out a long groan as she slumped her head down onto the counter while clutching the side of her head.

Akasha leaned in closer, with a look that showed that she was feigning ignorance. "Wow, Tresdin. Is something wrong?"

Tresdin growled at the Queen while Luna laughed at their exchange. She lifted her head up slightly just so she could sip her drink again. "Apparently she's been having a rough few weeks." Luna explained for her.

Akasha's mouth formed an 'o', as if things finally dawned on her. Tresdin wanted to wipe that off of the Queen's face. "Yes, Ostarion did tell me of recent happenings, even on things he asked Tresdin to accomplish. Would you like to know what they are, Luna?"

Luna shook her head, clearly not interested. "Don't bother. I don't want to know anything that doesn't involve me."

"But if I tell you, wouldn't that make you involved?" Akasha said with a teasing smirk.

"Don't you dare." Luna said half threateningly. Akasha let out what one would call a high class laugh, her hand covering her mouth as she stared at the barista. Tresdin, seeing all of this from the corner of her eye, just wondered where this level of familiarity cropped up. She envied it, remembering that Akasha and her didn't take this quick a time to rekindle. Then again, she was the first one to ditch them, leaving the two of them to handle the life they grew up into.

After the Queen calmed down, she looked to her two companions, sighing with what sounded like relief, which elicited confused glances by the other two. "I missed this." She said to them. "The three of us, just like when we were young and wild."

Luna shook her head, more so out of amazement than anything. "You changed, Akasha. Way too much."

"Yeah, sometimes I wondered what happened to that bitch that did nothing but order us around." Tresdin said right after.

Akasha laughed at them, not disagreeing with their thoughts on her. "As I told you two before; having kids will do that to you."

"So when're you two gonna be free again?" Luna asked.

"I'm always free." Akasha replied. "My schedule is fit for my needs, so you don't need to worry about anything."

"Not for a long while, no." Tresdin said, looking disappointed.

Akasha's face lit up, as if a thought suddenly came to her head. "Leon's 10th birthday is coming up, and the royal family's trusted are invited. I'll be sure to have my people ready your invitations for the coming celebration."

"Won't it be odd inviting an adult woman to a child's party?" Tresdin asked.

"It's not just a simple children's birthday party, Tresdin. Ostarion always has a big celebration for Leon, since he's the Crown Prince and all." Akasha looked at Tresdin funnily. "I guess you were always busy before, so you never were part of it."

She turned to Luna, eyeing the taller woman with a hopeful look. "And Ostarion really loved this place. Maybe instead of an invitation, I could ask your boss if you could work at the party for the night?"

"As long as I don't have to wear a dress." Luna replied, handing the Queen a card for the Dark Moon.

"Great. I'll be expecting you two!" she said excitedly.

"Mommy! Mommy!" The Queen turned on her stool to face her child that was running towards her, dragging along a woman wearing an orange dress. "This lady can sing! She has a beautiful voice!"

As Akasha's eyes drew up to the woman's face, she gasped when she came to see who it was. Slithice just flashed a warm, if saddened smile to the monarch. "Your Majesty." She greeted with a bow, slowly facing back up. "It's been a while."

Akasha was at a loss for words, only stammering out "Guard Captain…"

Slithice chuckled when she heard that title. "I'm no longer the Guard Captain, your Majesty. It's been quite a while, actually."

Akasha's face was filled with sorrow to hear the _former_ Guard Captain go through such a thing. She immediately turned to Luna, with a suspicion in mind. "Does this involve that thing you asked of me?" she asked subtly, remembering that Tresdin was not in the know of that development.

Luna gave a short nod as her answer, prompting the Queen to turn back to Slithice. "I'm so sorry, I didn't know."

Slithice waved Akasha's response off. "Oh, not to worry. It's all in the past." Akasha was about to respond when Luna's grip on her shoulder stopped her. "Well, with the Queen and her Princess as our special guest, I think I have to sing for this occasion." Slithice announced, walking towards her small stage.

Akasha picked Nikka off of the ground, putting her daughter on her lap so the mini monarch could watch the performance. As Slithice was greeted with applause, she glanced back to Luna and Tresdin. "She's been working here ever since?"

"Yeah." Luna whispered. She turned to the Commander, who was still laying her head on the counter. "Listen to her sing, and I'm sure your migraine will ease."

With a sigh, Tresdin raised her head and turned around to face the stage. The noise in the room had died down as the rest of the patrons awaited the performance Slithice was about to put on for Dark Moon's special guests. Drawing in a lungful of air, she started.

"_When you speak I hear silence_  
_Every word a defiance_  
_I can hear, oh, I can hear_

_Think I'll go where it suits me_  
_Moving out to the country_  
_With everyone, oh, everyone_  
_Before we all become one._"

Nikka smiled contently in Akasha's arms, loving the melodious tune that came from Slithice's mouth. Akasha herself had her head on Nikka's, enjoying the moment. Tresdin meanwhile couldn't deny that the migraine had gotten weaker. She glanced at Luna, seeing the barista flash a knowing smirk at her. Tresdin rolled her eyes before returning to the stage.

"_You tell yourself that you're lucky_  
_Lying down never struck me_  
_As something fun, oh, any fun_

_Stabbing pain for the feeling_  
_Now your wound's never healing_  
_'Til you're numb, oh, it's begun_  
_Before we all become one._"

Slithice continued humming, drawing everyone along her trip with the song she sung, and they were all eager to flow down with her.

"_Stop grieving, start leaving_

_Before we all become one~~~_

_Run~~~_

_Oh we all, we all become._"

An applause erupted within the coffee shop after the performance. Slithice bowed down, her cheeks red from the warm reception she got from once again another successful performance. She turned to the Monarch and bowed again.

"She's good, isn't she?" Akasha and Tresdin jolted in surprise when they heard Selemene behind them. Both glanced at the barista's boss, standing right beside Luna. "Glad I got her onboard."

"'Mene, Akasha has a proposition she'd like to make." Luna said reminding Akasha of what the Monarch had planned.

"And what would this proposition be?" Selemene asked. Akasha was silently thankful for Luna for leading the conversation.

Akasha put on a professional smile as she stood up, placing Nikka on her stool. She laid out her request at the Dark Moon owner, causing a glint to appear in the even taller woman's eyes. They continued this exchange in Selemene's office, leaving Nikka with Luna and Tresdin. Luna had went back to carry out the orders that were now heading her way again while Tresdin brought the young princess into her own lap, allowing Nikka to enjoy the warmth of another person while Tresdin had relaxed herself, enjoying the now receding migraine.

_I think I'll come back here someday._ she thought to herself, enjoying the atmosphere the coffee shop provided.


	77. Poacher's Demise

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

translations at the footnote A/N. also, apologies to those fluent in Swahili.

* * *

**Poacher's Demise**

The hot searing sun shone brightly in the open savannahs of Mlima, the land devoid of animals for a specific reason. A thick heat wave was visible from a distance, the swaying trees and tall grass being the only evidence of there being gusts of wind in the area. The sound of heavy, mechanical rumbling filled the empty land, slowly increasing in volume. Tiny stones and pebbles were vibrating off the ground. The sudden appearance of a jeep moving across the land crushed the tiny pebble with no effort, already speeding through the land, moving towards the dormant volcano.

The jeep was flanked by two motorcycles; one on each sides. All three vehicles left a huge trail of dust behind them, obscuring the terrain. The jeep had three beaten people tied up together; with one of them being unconscious. The remains of their equipment were scattered about on the jeep. The darker skinned man sitting on the passenger side, dressed in a faded blue shirt with makeshift body armor, turned around to face their captives. He held his pike up and swung it down onto the unconscious man, waking him.

"Eyes open!" he commanded, his voice heavy with the accent of the region.

With all three of them awake, he turned his sights back to the front. A visible shanty town in the distance grew larger and larger as the closed in on it. Only now, in the outskirts of the town, are the animals residing, protected and herded by the inhabitants of the shanty town. Further in are other vehicles in various states of repair, used by people as they leave the town.

The jeep skidded to a halt upon entering the perimeter, alongside the two motorcycles. The man that sat on the passenger side of the jeep immediately jumped off with his pike in hand and moved to his captives. With one hand, he pulled them off the jeep, dragging them along the ground as he, along with his companions, moved towards the center of the shanty town.

A number of people have gathered around them, circling as the man threw their captives further down. "Once again, poachers stalk our land!" he spoke in the common tongue, so the captives could understand their repercussions. "They slaughter the magnificent magnoceri so they could fashion their weapons and jewelry from the mighty horns! Decades in and out, they come!"

"But no longer!" he turned to face the captives, poking one of them with his pike until he drew blood. "We have pushed the poachers back, even in bags as each day they come to collect what isn't theirs, so they know how it feels to be in the magnoceri's place!"

He crouched down, nearing the captives. One of them reeled back, disturbed. "Pray to your gods for mercy, poachers. The people here will not."

He stood up, bringing himself to his full height, and tapped his pike on the ground twice. Two of the four people that came along with him stepped forward before the rest, riling the crowd before they descended onto the poachers. He left them at that, moving to carry out the rest of his intended activities. When he was a fair distance from the commotion he had left, he slowed his pace when he noticed a younger man approaching him in a brisk pace.

Upon closing his distance, the young man stood leaning his hands on his knees, tired from his run. The taller man waited patiently with his pike in hand. When the young man was sufficiently recuperated, he looked up so that their eyes could meet. "_Magnus, wito Mzee kwa watazamaji wako._"

The man named Magnus nodded, planting his hand on the younger man's shoulder. "_Asante._" he said, ushering the young man away as he made his way to his home.

He drew apart the curtains that covered the doorway, carefully stepping inside. The house was dark, the only light coming from outside that illuminated it. Its few lamps only used at the very few hours of night. "_Mama?_" he called out.

Silence greeted him for a brief moment before another voice responded. "_Kikariri hapa._" the sound of an elderly woman filled his ears.

He walked through his house, making his way towards the back area. Upon exiting the back open area, he kneeled when he approached his mother, who beckoned him closer. "_Mama, wewe kuitwa kwa ajili yangu?_"

The elderly woman smiled at him from where she sat, gesturing her hand across the table. "_Mwana, tuna mgeni._"

Magnus looked up, following the direction the Elder guided him, not noticing the guest that was with them. When his eyes fell on the guest, his eyes widened, drawing in air in awe at who was in front of him. A woman with the whitest and palest skin and ashen blonde hair that hung to her waist, dressed in an aqua colored robe that clung to her form. With her leg over the other, she flashed him a calm smile that radiated an infectious aura.

From his kneeling position, he dropped his face onto the ground, prostrating himself before the guest. "_Mungu wa mbinguni!_" his voice was loud, a feeling to impress the guest washing over him.

The guest giggled as the Elder shook her head. "_Kusimama mwana._" she ordered. "_Hawana aibu mwenyewe._"

He slowly straightened himself, still in a kneeling position. Seeing the woman, his mind immediately went to the Goddess of the Heavens. But, as if reading her mind, she shook her head. "I am not your deity, young warrior. Now please, stand up."

Magnus did as he was ordered, yet despite the woman's saying denial, he still couldn't shake the feeling that he was in the presence of a goddess. But he put his thought aside, standing at attention before his mother and the guest. The guest smiled contently as she glanced back at the Elder, urging the Elder to continue their conversation. The Elder nodded, turning to face her son once more.

"Son, have you packed our belongings?" she asked in the common tongue, eliciting a raised brow from Magnus.

"Yes, mother. We can join the rest and leave when you are ready." He replied also in the common tongue, thinking that it was for the benefit of their guest.

The Elder nodded. "Do you remember the reasons why we are leaving?"

"You sensed disturbances coming from Joerlak. What of it, mother?" He was wondering why the Elder was reminding him of that.

The Elder smirked, causing further confusion for Magnus. "Then I need you to take our guest to the peak." The Elder told him. "She will explain why everything."

Before he could respond, the guest stood up and moved beside him, still smiling at his direction. She then retreated inside, presumably moving to the front of their house. Magnus stared at her diminishing form, before turning to the Elder.

"_Mama, ni nini kinaendelea?"_ he asked, confused at what was happening.

"_Tu kusindikiza yake, mwana._" The elderly woman commanded. "_Kama i kuwaonya kabla, yeye kueleza kila kitu. Sasa kupata kwenda, unapaswa kuweka yake kusubiri._"

He wanted to question further, but her trusted his mother in that the guest would explain it all, so he left the Elder and made his way outside to join the guest. Drawing the curtain aside, he saw the guest calmly observing the shanty town, getting occasional glances from his comrades. It was no wonder, as the color of her skin clashed with their darker tone. He saw a few people also prostrating, possibly thinking that she was their goddess, just like he did before. She ushered them on after telling them to stand up, then turned to face him.

"Let us be on our way, warrior." She said with her melodious voice.

He nodded, moving ahead of her and calling a younger man that walked by to bring forth a vehicle for him. The man did as commanded, and not before long a similar jeep was procured for him. The guest took her spot on the passenger side, and with her ready, they set off to Mount Joerlak.

The cleared savannah allowed their trek to not take up too much of their time. Magnus drove in silence, casting glances to his side, curious as to what the guest was doing or thinking. She only had her eyes on the rest of the land, her face bearing a flat expression. Her gaze wondered slightly, moving from the empty savannah, to the shanty town they had left, the people that were the first to leave, or the few animals that were still around, being herded by the people.

She turned to him in a quick fashion that almost startled him, casting him that same neutral face. "Tell me about the magnoceros."

He was a bit surprised by the question, and took his time in thinking for an answer. More so he could gauge her response. She kept on staring at him, waiting for his answer, and it wasn't until their trek became bumpy as they ascended the foot of the mountain that he finally opened his mouth.

"They are magnificent creatures that have walked this earth for centuries. They've been here longer than most kingdoms." Magnus told her. His face contorted into an expression of anger. "Yet for the past few decades their numbers have dwindled because of poachers."

The guest smiled, seemingly satisfied with the answer, and returned her gaze to the wide encompassing land. "And now your people have taken up the task to protect these creatures. Admirable work." She said.

Magnus shook his head, despite the guest not looking at him. "They are not my people. They are their own people."

She turned back to him, a tingling sensation coursing through Magnus thanks to the guest's charming smile. "Strong **and** humble. I can see why they look up to you."

"That is only because I am the Elder's son." He said, unfazed by her compliment.

She didn't push further, settling on facing the land once more. The rest of their trek was met with silence; only the sound of the rumbling engine and the rolling terrain kept them company as the circled up the path towards the mountain. They need not reach the peak of it, as the path led them to an open clearing, with a cave that went further in.

Magnus halted the jeep when they reached the clearing, the jeep dying down instantly. The guest jumped off her side, taking in the mountain air and the heavy sulfur around it. Magnus waited patiently with his pike in hand for the guest to continue onward. She turned on her heel, nodded towards him, and made her way inside the cave. He followed suit.

They walked deeper, with the light receding yet he still found it easy for his eyes to see things around them. He wondered as to how, for they were still far from where he assumed the guest wanted to go. As he thought of the guest, she had crouched down, shifting her hand through the gravel and dust. He noticed that she somehow emitted some sort of glow, which further strengthened his initial impression of her, but he held his tongue from commenting.

"Do you know why Mount Joerlak is so special?" she asked out of the blue as she picked up the earth.

Another surprise question, except he did not hold out long. "The earth around here holds special energy."

She stood up, her gaze still casted down on the earth. "Do you know what this special energy is?"

"No." he answered truthfully. "We did not have schools to teach us of it."

At this, she turned to him, her hand still holding the earth of the mountain. She held it up to him with a smirk on her face. "This _special_ energy is more unstable than what one would assume." She opened her hand and let the earth go. Yet instead of falling back to the ground, the small amount of debris reverberated in the air, ultimately heading in a downward direction. Magnus had his eyes wide opened as he saw this.

"All the minerals; the earth and stone here, are imbued by this energy. The closer we are to the core of the mountain, the more powerful this energy is." She said, pushing the debris down. "Isn't your pike there fashioned from the very rock of this mountain?"

Magnus, upon being reminded of it, turned his gaze to the blade of the pike, noticing the crafted piece now glow a slight hue of blue. A small rumble could be heard emanating from it. The guest brought her hand forward, clutching the pointed edge with it, and smiled at Magnus. "A weapon, as a sign of your greatness among your people, was crafted by the rocks that rained on this land when Joerlak last erupted."

"Combined with the power now bestowed to this pike, and the years your people have lived in these lands…" a small beat was held for a moment. "The idea of channeling this energy is not impossible, for someone with your, _Greatness_." She let her words sink in to Magnus, who held his eyes opened as she told him of the power within his hands.

When he stammered out nonsensical words, she turned around and went deeper, prompting him to follow her again. Just when he neared before her, her hand shot out and grabbed his, allowing her to pull him along as she increased her pace as they went deeper into the dark cave that she illuminated.

The deeper they went, the louder the rumbling became as it assaulted their ears and the more intense the smell of sulfur that filled the air. Magnus had trouble getting through, yet the woman that was pulling him did not break stride, completely unfazed by the things that were troubling him. Whether she was a god or not was irrelevant; she was definitely not human, that alone he could attest. Even her glowing form was evidence to that.

When he saw light coming from the end of the cave, he already had in his mind where they were. The heat was unbearable, even for his thick skin. Yet once again, the woman had not even shed a single sweat. Any sort of admiration and amazement turned to envy.

The blasting wave of heat hit his face when they exited the cave, coming into a huge opened area. He looked down the crater, seeing the volatile magma that threatened to burst out. He then looked up, able to see the skies thanks to Joerlak's previous eruption. When he leveled his sight, he noticed a giant of a man on the other side, holding what looks like an enormous anvil above his head. He felt the guest move again, dragging him along the available path, careful to not fall to the very depths.

As they walked the path, he realized that there was another person here, and that the guest was bringing them to him. This man, unlike the guest, was dressed in what Magnus thought as a modern suit of armor. And unlike her, he had an orange glow around him. This man seemed like he was glaring at Magnus and the guest.

"You actually brought him along." The man said, sounding annoyed.

"We can't just let the people fend for themselves, brother." She said in a scolding manner. "And to think you were going to let Joerlak erupt without informing the people here."

"If we didn't, we would be done with this task of ours ages ago." He replied, crossing his arms before them.

"You two are going to cause Joerlak to erupt?" he asked them, perplexed by the thought. "You two are the ones causing this?"

"We will not be the ones to erupt it." The man replied as he turned his gaze to the even larger man. "The Architect will."

Magnus followed his gaze, his brows furrowing. "Architect?"

"In your language, he would be called _Msanifu Majengo_." the woman said.

"Why?" Magnus asked again. "Why are you doing this?"

"Remember what I told you about Joerlak?" she asked him, Magnus nodding to her.

"We need to spread the properties of Joerlak across the land." The man added. "We want these minerals to affect this entire country, influencing all living beings to be touched by it."

"Like yourself, warrior." She continued. "Every single living creature here; be them the animals like the magnoceri or the people that thrived here, they all have these minerals now imbedded in them."

"And **you**; the man known as Magnus, have the potential to abuse these properties because of this." The man said, closing the distance between them in a fraction of a second. They were around the same height yet somehow Magnus felt intimidated.

"What makes me so special? You said it so yourself that everyone here lived with these 'minerals' influencing them. If that is the case, then I am no different." Magnus retorted, subconsciously challenging the man.

"Because of your weapon." Magnus was unresponsive for a moment, slowly turning his eyes at the guest, now clutching the bladed edge of the pike again with the smirk she had before.

She looked up, her mesmerizing white eyes locking with his. "We know that during your rite of passage that your "performance" won the people over. With the elders saying how you would bring your people to the next age. Coupled with you being the son of an elder as well, they deemed it worthy for you to have a weapon fashioned by the very rage of Joerlak itself."

"It's not just you living your entire life here, growing with the land. It's the fact that you've always had this power at the tip of your fingers. **That** is why you are the one most likely to share the power of Joerlak with the rest of the world." Her smirk widened as her words took its effect on him.

Magnus observed his pike, his eyes locked onto the point. The earlier blue glow was now more intense, and he felt the need to touch it. Yet before his hand could touch it, the blue glow seeped onto him, encompassing his entire arm. He observed in awe, now feeling the powerful energy right before him. She was right. The guest was right. It was all right at the tip of his fingers, and he never even knew about it. He flexed his hand and arm, letting the energy flow. He smiled in a stupor before a flash of worry overtook him. He shook the energy away from his arm, fearing that he would be drunk with power.

"Looks like he's ready, Nessaj." The guest said.

Her brother looked at her, and then looked at Magnus, before turning to the far man on the other side of the area. The Architect nodded, bringing the anvil he held up high down onto the ground, causing an enormous tremor.

Magnus looked at the Architect, before looking around the crater. Rocks were crumbling and falling. A spike fell right beside him. The lava below bellowed deeply, striking fear to those that could hear it. The Architect raised his anvil again slowly, before bringing it back down, causing deeper cracks below him. The lava below slowly rose before receding again.

Magnus, as if remembering about everything else that was happening around him, ran towards the exit. He needed to rejoin his brothers and sisters. The two siblings just watched on, Magnus' retreating not fazing them whatsoever. Between that the quakes the Architect was causing carried on intermittently. The guest giggled out of the blue.

"You're going to join him, Io?" Nessaj asked, facing himself towards the Architect.

Io's giggling continued. "Oh, brother. You know me so well." She replied, her light glowing brighter.

Within a flash, she was gone, leaving Nessaj with the Architect, as the interior of Mount Joerlak was further crumbled.

Magnus didn't need to have second thoughts on his way back, remembering the path they took when they entered the cave. He rushed onward to the exit even in the darkness, now that the guest wasn't here to illuminate the path. It took a while for him, but he was finally able to see the light of the sun. He ran faster and faster till he burst out of the mouth, moving straight to the jeep. He noticed the guest sitting patiently on the passenger seat, smiling at him, but he did not question her. He has already accepted that she was literally out of this world and let her do as she pleases.

Heading down the path was quicker than their upward trek, though he was risking their lives with his reckless driving; launching off short cliffs, shattering the shrubberies around and no disregard to the crying engine as the gravel assaulted the underside of the jeep. His eyes were kept at the far off shanty town they were approaching, but he was certain that the guest was unfazed. He doubts anything could.

When they finally reached the flat ground again, he shifted his gaze at the approaching group of poachers just at the horizon, and pushed his foot deeper into the pedal though the jeep was already going as fast as it could.

Magnus soon arrived back at the shanty town, skidding to a halt and hopping right out. Everyone was in frenzy, preparing themselves for the battle that they would face. Seeing the heavy commotion, Magnus called one of his comrades.

"_Ndugu, ina mama wa kushoto tayari?_" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

"_Ndiyo, Magnus._" came his answer. "_Yeye kushoto na wengine wa wazee._"

He sighed with relief, relaxing his grip on his pike. His comrade nodded, pleased that Magnus was satisfied. Then his eyes fell on the guest, who now approached them. His eyes widened, followed by a gasp.

"_Magnus, na miungu yao kuja kubariki sisi kwa vita hii?_" he asked with what sounded like hope.

Magnus turned to the guest, seeing her giggling bashfully. He turned back to his comrade, shaking his head. "_Hakuna, ndugu yangu. Yeye ni kitu kingine._" he answered, bringing his comrade out of his stupor by shaking his shoulder. "_Sidhani yake, tuna mambo mengine kwa lengo la._"

His comrade nodded affirmingly. "_Ndiyo, Magnus._"

"_Magnus!_" All three heads, including the guest, faced the person who approached them. This time a woman, one of Magnus' trusted comrades. "_Mji ni wazi kwa watu._" she told him. "_Na wanyama wote, kuvwaru na kila kitu kingine, ni salama mbali na eneo hilo._"

"_Kifalme._" Magnus said, bellowing a deep laughter. "_Kuja, wandugu! Sisi ndio kuchukua yao katika uwanja wa vita!_" he proclaimed, raising their spirits as he returned to his jeep, flanked by his comrades as they took their spots behind him. The guest returned to the passenger side, as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

Magnus left the now emptied shanty town to join his brothers and sisters, their jeeps and bikes lined up in a long and distant line. He stood up and moved to the hood of his jeep, facing his comrades.

He drew his arm up in the air, with his pike in hand. "_Ndugu na dada! Hii itakuwa siku sisi kuishia majangili kutawala juu ya nchi hii!_"

"_Wao wanasumbuliwa na sisi kwa miaka, kufikiri wao wenyewe nchi hizi._" He took in a lungful of air for that short reprieve. "_Lakini tena!_"

"_Hii itakuwa ngoma yetu ya mwisho!_" the crowd roared and rallied around him. "_Kama sis kuanguka na kile sisi kusimama kwa, au kuleta majangili chini na sisi. Tupate hata kusimama juu yao kwa ushindi, lakini hii itakuwa msimamo wetu jana!_"

They cried in their elevated spirits, ready to face the coming onslaught. Waving their weapons; be it guns or pikes, and revving their engines, they were enthused. Magnus returned to his seat and crouched down to the comrades behind him on the jeep. He held his pike forward, letting the energy manifest itself in its blue glow. His comrades stared in awe at the power before them. He brought his free hand forward, letting the energy encapsulate his hand.

He then brought it to his comrades, holding them one by one as the energy wrapped itself around them. It was barely visible on them, unlike on Magnus, but they could feel themselves strengthened by the enchantment Magnus put on them. As he let them feel the energy now coursing through them, he turned back to face the slowly approaching group of poachers, standing on his seat.

As the distance was slowly lessened, Magnus was now able to make out the group of poachers. They were far fewer in numbers, yet they carried with them immense technology; a slightly larger truck used to carry their findings now had on top of it a manned turret, each of their own jeeps had someone equipped with far more advanced sniper rifles. At the middle of it all was also a man standing tall, carrying with him a megaphone.

When the poachers halted their movement, the man that Magnus assumed was their leader brought the megaphone to his mouth. "Please, people. We mean you no harm, we do not wish for this to escalate further. Stand down, and you can be on your way."

His comrades responded with jeering, taking offense to the poachers' faux kindness. They all knew better than to be swayed by the words of a snake. He raised his pike, silencing his allies. The female comrade stood up and gave Magnus a bullhorn for him to use.

"If you did not want this to descend to war, then you would not have hunted down the magnoceri!" his comrades filled the air with their cheering. "You think we will forget what you have done to these lands we call home?! If so, then you are far more stupid than you look!"

The guest beside him giggled, eliciting odd glances by the comrades at the back. "He didn't like that." She said. "You sure got under his skin." At this Magnus' comrades joined in laughter with the guest.

"Did not expect that to be so easy." Magnus responded, nodding pleasantly. He picked brought the bullhorn up again. "We can assure you poachers of one thing! Today, will be the last!"

The sound of cheering drowned everything else in the savannah, now with his comrades' morale finally at its peak. Magnus saw the head poacher raise his megaphone again. "So be it." Came their response, sounding more angered. Magnus smirked.

He sat back down, handing the bullhorn to the back and revved his engine. And with one raise of his pike, they roared.

The whole line of defense marched forward, jeeps and bikes side by side as the launch head on to the poachers that they fought against. The poachers had far superior technology and equipment compared to the scraps they could put together; this was why they were taking the first initiative. It was the more sensible of the absurd two, as Magnus thought. He glanced back at the two behind him, seeing the brother unleash his shotgun while the sister propped up a hunting rifle. She had difficulty aiming on the jeep, and because of how far they still were from the poachers.

The guest then faced herself to her, startling his female comrade. The guest brought her hand, holding onto startled one's thigh. From this connection, the guest shined a light shade of yellow, with her eyes changing in color from white to orange. The rifle wielding comrade felt a different kind of energy coursing through her, calming her mind and steadying her body. Her vision became clear, allowing her to far into the distance. She took aim at one of the poachers and fired.

When she saw the poacher fall over in pain, she turned back to the guest who was smiling brightly at her. She tried to stammer out a response, but found it hard, as the common tongue wasn't a language she was fluent at.

""Thank you"." The brother said to his side, before firing off his shotgun again.

Magnus couldn't help but smirk at what was happening behind him. The sister finally stuttered out. "Y-y-yes, thank you!"

"You're welcome." The guest replied, her hand still holding onto the thigh.

A sudden explosion shook them, their heads turning to where it came from. More explosions happening on the ground. Magnus cursed. He should've expected this, that the poachers had lined the land with some sort of charges. Yet all this did was spur his comrades on, speeding faster to meet the poachers. A few on motorcycles have even managed to make contact, striking with pikes and shotguns as small skirmishes began spreading out.

A bullet then came flying through the windshield, striking the shotgun wielder on his shoulder, sending him crying in pain at the back. The guest then shifted her attention, moving her hand from the thigh to the pained man's shoulder. She let her energy course through him, mending the gorish wound he acquired. He looked at his shoulder, seeing it slowly piece together under her touch, and before he knew it, she was holding the bullet with her hand, smiling at him.

He bowed down. "Thank you, your Grace!"

"Raise yourself, warrior. This is not the time for compliments." She said.

He looked up and nodded. But he noticed that the shotgun he was holding was no longer on the jeep. He surmised that it must've fallen during the commotion, and immediately turned to Magnus. "_Magnus, naomba gari._"

Magnus nodded, standing up to allow his comrade to take his helm. Magnus himself moved to the back alongside his still able sister, still firing off at the poachers amidst the chaos around them. He stood up, holding his pike. Unlike them, he had no ranged weapon whatsoever, yet he wanted to take on the poachers from a distance.

This frustration drew channeled in more energy around his pike, he noticed a little later. He had an idea that would make him look like a fool if it were to not work out, but looking like a fool was the least of his problem in this little war they were on. He drew his pike in the air, letting the energy further build up. When he felt that he had brought enough, with a single cry he swung his pike forward in a downward direction.

And to his amazement and relief, the energy burst out, creating what looked like to be a blue shockwave that moved itself in lightning speed towards the poachers. They barely had time to react as the shockwave struck them head on, sending the ones hit flying in scattered directions.

The poachers were motionless at what had transpired, while his comrades' morale was further boosted, despite the growing number of casualties they were experiencing compared to the poachers. Magnus' shockwave outweighed the losses they were taking, especially from the scattered bombs.

Yet despite this, at best they were all on an even playing field. The sheer technological prowess the poachers possessed matched with the numbers they had, and the powers Magnus had. Drawing that energy wasn't as quick as he'd like, needing him to duck for the brief duration while his sister in arms kept firing. His brother kept the jeep leveled, and along with the rest of the four-wheelers they finally closed in on the poachers. Magnus shot out another shockwave, this time only hitting a few poachers, as they were privy to his actions.

Then he was sent flying, he saw the sky for a brief moment before landing face first onto the earth. It all happened so quickly that Magnus was barely able to register it. He groaned, pushing himself off the ground with his two arms. He looked around, seeing the guest tending to his comrade that took the brunt of the explosion since he was driving. The rifle wielder, with the cover of the upturned jeep, kept her attention at the battle. He shook his head, gathered himself, and grabbed his pike that was in front of him before he made his way to his wounded comrade.

"He will be fine, warrior." The guest announced as her hands were kept on the man's head. "He will have no permanent damage, but he is still unconscious. Explosions will do that to you."

Magnus let out a guttural cry of frustration, not loud enough to be heard by the rest of his comrades, though his sister in arms flinched for a moment. Magnus, now given the situation, surveyed the battlefield once more. Despite his jeep taking the explosion, his comrades were not deterred, still keeping up with the poachers, though only barely. The technological prowess of the poachers were starting to show, and Magnus knew that if this kept going at its pace, they will face defeat.

He turned back to the white-skinned woman, his face holding a deep frown though not aimed at her. "Guest." He called to her.

"Io." She corrected. "Call me Io, warrior."

He was silent, not expecting that sort of response, but continued on nevertheless. "Io, how many of us and them are left? I know you know these kinds of things."

Io giggled. Not many people could so quickly accept their otherworldliness, yet Magnus had subtly embraced it. "Both forces started with 498 and 105 bodies respectively. Now each stand at 187 and 56."

He growled, not liking the odds that were against him. "How long till Joerlak erupts?"

He could see from the corner of his eye that his female comrade had turned to them, shock laden on her face. "A few more minutes." Io told him. "The Architect, despite his name, has a knack for destruction. In fact, there will not be much left of Joerlak."

"Then how big will the eruption, the explosion be?" he continued prodding.

"It will extend farther than this field, at least another 50km where this whole land will be destroyed, split apart by the mountain's destruction. Of course, that doesn't mean your people won't be able to make it out, they have their vehicles after all." She paused, looking for any sign of further reactions from Magnus. She found none, as he waited for her to finish. "Everyone till the next settlement and farther will experience the quake that will be caused. None further, except the aftermath of the eruption that will befall them in a short time."

Magnus drew in a lot of air, and let it out in a slow sigh. "Then what can we do? At best, everyone here will die because of the eruption. This is just a battle of time, of holding them in place."

At this, Io stood up. Abruptly so, as the female comrade, who was now fully listening onto the conversation despite having a hard time understanding it, jolted back. Io's amused smirk disappeared, taking on a flat, if dark expression. "Young warrior, do you wish to fight?"

"Yes." He replied.

"For who? Yourself? Your people? Your land?"

"Everything!" he replied with more force.

"Are you sure? Because you sounded like you lack conviction."

"No, I will not rest until the day I die!"

Io's smirk returned to her face, unnerving Magnus. "Then what will you do?"

"I will use everything I have to stop them and bring them down." He brought his pike closer to his chest, holding it tightly. "**Everything**."

Io's smirk turned into a more natural smile, glowing yellow once more as orange covered her eyes. She grasped Magnus' hand that was holding the pike on his chest. "Then fight, warrior."

"How did he get here?!" Magnus blinked his eyes, looking around to realize he was on the poacher's truck that held the turret. All poachers, men and women, young and old, were now looking at him and Io, who still held his hand tightly. "Take him out!" he heard the poachers say, as they aimed their weapons at him.

One who had a sniper in hand already took the first shot, striking Magnus on his chest. He felt the bullet pierce through him, yet there was no pain. He looked down to see a hole that was slowly restructuring itself. The fast healing he was going through made the poachers pause.

"Fight, Great Warrior!" Io shouted, not letting go of him though her hand had moved to his shoulder. "Fight with all you have, and show them who Magnus is!"

Reinvigorated, Magnus bellowed a deep cry that shook even his comrades that watched from afar. He glared at the poachers, some of the closer ones even backing away from him. The head poacher that headed this expedition even looked uncertain.

He raised his pike in the air once more, this time the energy quickly forming around him and his weapon. The poachers were quick to respond, firing at him once more, yet despite the supposed fatal shots he had acquired, Io's hold on him made sure death would not come for him. He cried out once more, words that will be forever remembered for eternity.

"**Behold, the horn, of MAGNUS!**"

And he struck the bed of the truck with his pike, piercing it with its tip. The bundled energy quickly exploded around him, and with his control only affected the poachers. It swirled around them, before in a fraction of a second pulled them in a clockwise direction closer to Magnus, placing every single poacher in front of him on that truck. The energy lingered on their heads, rendering them unconscious.

With little effort, he pulled his pike free, turning around to face his comrades that were now moving closer to him, including the female comrade that was now holding the wounded comrade, his arms held around her neck. But before they could celebrate, he raised his pike again, silencing them.

"_Joerlak mapenzi kuibuka!_" he announced, eliciting gasps from them. "_Kuchukua wote waliojerhiwa na kuondoka mahali hapa, mbali kama iwezekanavyo._"

Cries of protest filled the air, as Magnus allowed them to vent. But now instead of him, his female comrade, raised her rifle. Everyone silenced, knowing that she was one of Magnus' most trusted. "_Magnus ametupa amri yake._"

"_Sisi kuungana watu wetu wakati Magnus inachukua huduma ya majanili iliyobaki._" she said, to alleviate their weariness. "_Na nina uhakika…_" she glanced at Io, who smiled back at her. "_kwamba hakuna kitu msiba juu yake."_

With their spirits calmed, he shouted at them, urging them to leave before Joerlak could take their lives. He waited till each and every one of them was as far away as possible before he moved himself to inside the truck. The engine was still running, so he accelerated, driving towards the soon to erupt Joerlak. Io stayed at the back bed, overlooking the poachers.

It was a relatively long trek, the anticipation of the eruption on his shoulders. "Is it true?" he heard a female voice ask. He assumed that this voice was asking the guest. "That, Joerlak will erupt?"

"Of course." Io said rather cheerily. "Its eruption has been planned for the past few decades."

"Why?" her voice was quivering, soft sobbing now audible to Magnus. "Why must you do this?"

"I don't think there is enough time to explain it all to you." Io said sympathetically. "Just embrace your end, and you will be at peace."

The sobbing continued on, as he brought the truck back to the shanty town. He got out, moving back past them. He noticed that aside from the one crying, the head poacher was now also awake, while everyone else was still unconscious. The poacher remained still.

Magnus made his way to a now unpowered refrigerator, fishing out a glass bottle of soda before he moved his way back to the truck. The crying woman, now noticing him, crawled her way towards him on the truck. He saw the head poacher with a look of disgust on his face.

"Please, Magnus right? Please, I don't want to die, please I beg of you!" through the heavy tears on her face, he could make her out to be the one that first shot him on the truck. His face contorted, this woman looked way too young, why was she here he thought.

But he shrugged her off. "I do not care for your fates. We will all die here."

"Somehow I doubt that you would face death." The head poacher said. Magnus didn't move, except his hand that held the bottle of soda. "If what this woman was able to do before, there is without a doubt that the only ones to die are us."

This time he did face him. "That may be so, but it's not my concern. I will stay here till Joerlak's falling debris covers this land."

The man scoffed, turning away. The crying young woman moved back to Io, clutching on Io's robe, holding dearly. "Please, please." She said through intermittent sobs. "I don't want to die. Please, I'll do anything."

"Oh, are you really sure of that?" This time Io humored her. The crying woman looked up, meeting Io's white eyes. "Are you really willing to, effectively, sell your soul to live on?"

The woman now looked uncertain, only now taking her words to her. After what felt like an eternity of internal struggle, she nodded. "Y-yes. Please, I want to live."

Io giggled, turning her head to Magnus. "What do you think, Great Warrior?"

Throwing the empty bottle away, he looked at them. The crying woman stared at him, believing her life was now in his hands. The head poacher was now scowling at the scene before him. Magnus looked to Io, locking his gaze onto her. "I told you, I do not care."

"I thought you wanted to eliminate all poachers?" Io asked, testing the waters.

The crying woman now looked terrified, and screamed when Magnus closed the distance, holding her by her hair and pointing the tip of his spike onto her chest. "I could gut her right here, right now." He said, as if challenging everyone around. Then he dropped her back onto the bed, looking back at Io. "But no. I realize that this will not be the end of the road."

"Really?" Io asked, intrigued by this change. "Then what is?"

"The people holding their leashes." He said matter-of-factly. The head poacher looked surprised. "When we are done here, I will find a way to reach them, and end them."

Io suddenly burst out in laughter. "Oh, I'm so glad I decided to follow you, Great Warrior!" her enthusiasm was not shared by the head poacher and the sobbing woman. "I'll maybe even help you out in rooting them."

"I appreciate the gesture, but I don't need it." He replied. "This will be my own journey; no one else will be involved."

"Then that will be a taxing quest for you. Are you certain?" Magnus nodded, causing Io to smile. "Splendid."

A rumbling noise filled the quaking air, putting Magnus and the poachers on alert. Yet Io was as calm as ever, a knowing smile on her face. "This is not the eruption?" the head poacher asked before Magnus could.

"Oh, far from it." She replied. The rumbling noise got louder, and before they could ponder on it further, the source of it appeared before them, a monstrous motorcycle ridden by the armored man Magnus had met before. "The Architect is not with you?" Io asked her brother.

"No, he wished to stay at the heart of the destruction." The armored man replied.

Io's face lit up, turning to the crying woman below her. "This young lady said that she'd do anything to not be a victim of the eruption and live on."

Said woman then looked at the armored man that was now observing her carefully, feeling an intense level of fear coursing through her. He stood up from his motorcycle and approached the truck. She backed away, frightened by the man. The head poacher and Magnus just looked on indifferently. Her back came to contact of the bus of the truck, now quivering in fear as the armored man stood before her.

"And he's fine with it?" He asked. Magnus shrugged before Io could answer.

"He has a new quest in mind now, so this does not bother him one bit." Io explained.

With that, his hand shot forward to her, clutching her hair and pulling her up by it. She was now crying in pain at being hanged by her hair only. He brought her face closer to his helmet. "Then let's see what sort of use you will be to us then." He said, throwing her towards his motorcycle.

She landed ungracefully, her stomach coming to contact onto the hard seat. He straightened her before getting on himself. She held onto the seat, still fearing for her life yet a tiny part of her was grateful. As he revved the engine, Io appeared before her.

"What's your name?" came her simple question.

"M-m-…Mathilda." The crying woman replied.

Io turned to Magnus with her knowing smirk, causing Magnus to stare back with a raised brow. "I'm certain that this Mathilda will be "back" not too soon, Magnus. Best prepare yourself."

Just as Magnus was about to question Io, the motorcycle launched forward, disappearing in a flash of red light, leaving the three of them and the rest of the unconscious poachers. The head poacher, after a second of bafflement, got off the truck. He faced Io, looking none too pleased. "What will become of her?"

Io shrugged, her eyes looking upward yet her smile betrayed whatever emotion she was trying to hide. "I don't know, that's up to my brother."

The head poacher sighed, leaving Io to her lonesome. He fished out a half-spent cigar from his pocket and lit it up. He approached Magnus, who was staring onto the ever vibrating Mount Joerlak. He held his hand out to Magnus, who looked at it apprehensively.

"I admit defeat." The head poacher said.

Magnus scoffed. "A little too late to admit so, but I accept." He took the head poacher's hand, and at the moment their skin came into contact, Joerlak erupted.

The both of them saw the shattering earth below them, some of the buildings even caving in as small crevices were created. Magma spurted out of the mountain, its pace shockingly fast. And above them, bathed by the black clouds of brimstone, were the falling rain of Armageddon. The falling debris already destroying the remaining buildings and vegetation. Magnus sighed, seeing this destruction before him.

He felt a hand crawl its way onto the back of his shoulder, the small features allowing Io to announce herself in silence. The head poacher was right; he will live to see another day while he and the rest of the poachers here will die. It was especially inevitable when one of the larger debris was already on its trajectory towards them. Magnus sighed again, and closed his eyes, feeling the intense heat of the molten rock that would fall on them.

And then he felt fast winds brushing through his hair.

He opened his eyes to see himself on the back of the jeep, with Io beside him. He looked around, his comrades already moving fast and far. His eyes went up, seeing the dark clouds already reaching this far. When his eyes returned to the jeep he was on, he realized that his sister in arms was the one driving, while his still wounded comrade was resting on the passenger side.

It was he that noticed Magnus first, his eyes lighting up. "Magnus!"

The one driving immediately turned her head around, but was quickly ushered by the wounded comrade to focus her eyes on the front. Magnus smiled at his comrade. "_Sisi alishinda vita, ndugu._"

"_Huna kuangalia furaha, Magnus._" his comrade stated, noticing his distress and lack of relief.

"_Kwa sababu mimi bado wana zaidi ya kufanya._" Magnus told him.

The wounded comrade looked worried, and even the one driving shifted uncomfortable glances to her back. "_Basi hebu kuja na wewe._"

"No, absolutely not." He replied, in common tongue. "This will be my quest, mine alone. And I will not have anyone else come along. Everyone here deserves the peace they fought for."

"But, Magnus…"

"No, this is final." Magnus was resolute, committed to his cause. "Drop me off at the nearest settlement, I will continue on my own from there."

An uncomfortable silence formed around them. The wounded comrade unsure of how to continue. It was the one driving that furthered the conversation. "_Sisi taarifa mzee wa kuondoka yako, Magnus._" she said with a sad smile. "_Atakuwa hawatahuzunika, lakini mimi nina uhakika yeye itabidi kuelewa._"

Magnus smiled too, pleased with the thought. "_Tafadhali kufanya. Itakuwa muda mrefu mpaka naona mama tena._"

The jeep diverged from the main group, going the opposite way towards the settlement Magnus wanted. The settlement was also situated next to a river that connected to the sea. They stopped longer than they intended, resting after a long day that no one around knew of. His two comrades were still saddened by his announcement, but they could do nothing to stop him. They sat together, until Magnus decided to stand up. His comrades remained seated.

"_Tafadhali hawaono mama kama baadhi mzee mmoja._" he told them. Their eyes widened before the faces turned down, embarrassed. "_Nami kuondoka, yeye itabidi watoto wake wengine ili kuweka kampuni yake._"

"_Hatuhisi kwamba sisi unastahili kuchukuliwa na watoto wake._" his wounded comrade, his brother, said.

"Nonsense." Magnus planted his hand on both their shoulders. "_Mama daima aliona wewe mbili kama familia. Yeye amekosa kuwa na wewe mbili ndani ya nyumba._"

Guilt was laden on his brother's face, but his sister stood up, smiling at him. "_Msiwe na wasiwasi,_ ndugu. _Sisi kitachuka huduma ya mama._"

Magnus smiled with relief, bringing his sister to a hug. He then brought himself down to hug his brother, so as to not encumber him further. With their final farewells, he set off. "Take care of mother."

The wounded brother finally stood up, holding himself onto the table. "Be careful, brother!"

He waved them off, not wanting to draw this out any longer. He crossed the street, making his way towards the small makeshift pier. The guest, Io, was waiting there while Magnus had rested with his siblings. She gazed onto the other side of the river, her hair flowing thanks to the gust of the wind. Because her mind was on other things, she did not notice the stares she had gotten, no doubt thanks to her contrasting appearance with everything else around her. Magnus moved to a spot beside her, finally drawing her attention towards him.

"Said your goodbyes?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Smuggling yourself into other countries would prove to be a problem, are you sure you don't want my help?" Magnus shook his head at her proposition.

"I will handle all of this on my own. I can manage that." He turned to face her with a serious expression. "What will happen to that woman?"

Io perked up a brow. "I thought you didn't care." He shrugged, not giving her a verbal response, causing her to sigh in an exaggerated manner. "As I told that poacher, it will be all up to my brother."

"That's very cryptic, and ominous." He said, although mostly to the air around him. "I'd like some leads as to where I should head." He asked her.

Io laughed an unbecoming laugh. She was getting even more amused by this day. She gripped his hand with hers. "Just go where the autumn leaves spring, and soon you'll find your path laid out."

To Magnus, that sounded mostly like nonsense. But his held hand eased his doubts. "Thank you."

She smiled again, and as always it was as bright as ever. She moved her free hand to his cheek, stroking it gently. "See you soon, _Great Warrior._"

In a blink of an eye, she disappeared, with no traces of her ever being here. He was astounded. After a moment of thought, he brought his gaze to the settlement, looking around it and the surrounding land. A goodbye to him. He returned to the pier, and took out his pike that was holstered on his back. He channeled the energy one more time, before letting it dissipate. He smiled and holstered his pike again. With renewed determination, he set forth on his new journey.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

that, was a fun writing session! another special chapter, wholly focused on someone that's not a protagonist. this chapter also succeeded _Le Silence du Prophéte_ as the longest chapter by a landslide. i just couldn't stop. crazy.

also, like last time, i hope i didn't butcher the language. i'm very sorry.

anyway, thanks for reading this chapter!

TRANSLATIONS:

_wito Mzee kwa watazamaji wako _= the elder calls for your audience

_Asante_ = Thank you

_Kikariri hapa_ = Over here

_Mama, wewe kuitwa kwa ajili yangu?_ = Mother, you called for me?

_Mwana, tuna mgeni_ = Son, we have a guest

_Mungu wa mbinguni!_ = Goddess of the Heavens!

_Kusimama mwana_ = Stand up son

_Hawana aibu mwenyewe = D_o not shame yourself

_Mama, ni nini kinaendelea? = _Mother, what is going on?

_Tu kusindikiza yake, mwana =_ Just escort her, son.

_Kama i kuwaonya kabla, yeye kueleza kila kitu_ = As i told you before, she will explain everything.

_Sasa kupata kwenda, unapaswa kuweka yake kusubiri_ = Now get going, you shouldn't keep her waiting.

_Ndugu, ina mama wa kushoto tayari?_ = Brother, has mother left already?

_Ndiyo, Magnus. __Yeye kushoto na wengine wa wazee _= Yes, Magnus. She left with the rest of the elders

_Magnus, na miungu yao kuja kubariki sisi kwa vita hii? _= Magnus, have the gods themselves come to bless us for this battle?

_Hakuna, ndugu yangu. Yeye ni kitu kingine. __Sidhani yake, tuna mambo mengine kwa lengo la._= No, brother. She is something else. Don't think of it, we have other matters to focus on.

_Mji ni wazi kwa watu. _= The town is clear of the people.

Na wanyama wote, kuvwaru na kila kitu kingine, ni salama mbali na eneo hilo. = and all animals, magnoceri and everything else, are safely way from the area  
_note = there's obviously no Swahili word for magnoceri, so i had to make one up, through this process: __rhino = vifaru | Magnus = great = kubwa | magnoceri = kuvwaru._

_Kifalme._ _Kuja, wandugu! Sisi ndio kuchukua yao katika uwanja wa vita! _= Splendid. Come, comrades! We shall take them on in the battlefield.

_Ndugu na dada! Hii itakuwa siku sisi kuishia majangili kutawala juu ya nchi hii! _= Brothers and sisters! This will be the day we end the poachers' reign on this land!

_Wao wanasumbuliwa na sisi kwa miaka, kufikiri wao wenyewe nchi hizi. _= They have tormented us for ages, thinking they own these lands

Lakini tena! = But no longer!

_Hii itakuwa ngoma yetu ya mwisho! _= This will be our final dance!

_Kama sis kuanguka na kile sisi kusimama kwa, au kuleta majangili chini na sisi. _= Whether we fall by what we stand for,or bring the poachers down with.

_Tupate hata kusimama juu yao kwa ushindi, lakini hii itakuwa msimamo wetu jana! _= We might even stand over them in a victory, but this will be our last dance!

_naomba gari _= allow me to drive.

_Joerlak mapenzi kuibuka! _= Joerlak will erupt!

Kuchukua wote waliojerhiwa na kuondoka mahali hapa, mbali kama iwezekanavyo. = Take all the wounded and leave this place, as far as possible.

_Magnus ametupa amri yake. _= Magnus has given us his order.

_Sisi kuungana watu wetu wakati Magnus inachukua huduma ya majanili iliyobaki. _= We will rejoin our people while Magnus takes care of the remaining poachers.

_Na nina uhakika… __kwamba hakuna kitu msiba juu yake. _= And i am sure... that nothing will befall on him.

_Sisi alishinda vita, ndugu. _= we won the battle, brother...

_Huna kuangalia furaha, Magnus. _= You don't look happy, Magnus.

_Kwa sababu mimi bado wana zaidi ya kufanya. _= Because i still have more to do.

_Basi hebu kuja na wewe. _= Then let us come with you.

_Sisi taarifa mzee wa kuondoka yako, Magnus. _= We will inform the elder of your departure, Magnus.

Atakuwa hawatahuzunika, lakini mimi nina uhakika yeye itabidi kuelewa. = She will be saddened, but i'm sure she'll understand.

_Tafadhali kufanya. Itakuwa muda mrefu mpaka naona mama tena. _= Please do. It will be a long while till i can see mother again.

_Tafadhali hawaono mama kama baadhi mzee mmoja. _= Please don't see mother as some other elder.

_Nami kuondoka, yeye itabidi watoto wake wengine ili kuweka kampuni yake. _= With me gone, she'll need her other children to keep her company.

_Hatuhisi kwamba sisi unastahili kuchukuliwa na watoto wake. _= We don't feel that we are worthy to be considered her children.

_Mama daima aliona wewe mbili kama familia. Yeye amekosa kuwa na wewe mbili ndani ya nyumba. _= Mother always saw you two as family. She missed having you two in the house.

_Msiwe na wasiwasi,_ ndugu. _Sisi kitachuka huduma ya mama. _= Don't worry, brother. We will take care of mother.


	78. Eclipsed Coast

**Eclipsed Coast**

The Shadeshores. A coastal landscape of white sandy beaches, littered with the ruins of an old derelict city that used to exist alongside the sea close to a century ago. The surrounding area for the past decade had started seeing a resurgence of life and activity when people used the beach as a vacation area. What used to be an empty beach littered with the destroyed ruins was now a hot tourist spot with inns and a market complimenting it, the ruins now used as a historical landmark for the many visitors.

It was here that every single Dark Moon employee, barring their mystical and whimsical boss, were enjoying their leisure time. Ushered away during a national holiday that took out their whole week, they took their trip to this wonderful area. The number of visitors has greatly diminished as the autumn wind finally greeted their faces, its cool breeze contrasting with the salty coastal winds that covered Shadeshore.

Three beach umbrellas were set up along with each of their towels rolled open under it. Almost immediately Luna sat her generous rump on a free towel, followed by Mirana to her left and Slithice to her right. Puck, already in a high from this trip, was dragging Shendel and Lanaya along with her to the open seas. Mortred was stretching herself before she joined them. Behind them approaching was Magina, carrying the rest of their equipment, dropping them when he couldn't carry them any longer. Shendel's youngest sister Elodie walked slowly behind them, with her friend Noire following closely.

"Thanks for allowing us to come along." Elodie said timidly, backed by her friend.

"Yeah, this is so cool!" Noire added, with her voice full of excitement. "I've never been to the beach before!"

"Aw, no need to thank us. You should thank 'Mene for this!" Mirana said, giving them her radiant smile. "You should join them, they look like they're having fun." She said, gesturing toward Puck and the two waitresses.

"Yeah, let's do that!" Noire said ecstatically, throwing her and Elodie's bags onto the towels as they ran towards the beach. Mirana and Slithice couldn't contain their giggles, while Mortred outright cackled.

"Ah, _les jeunes._" Mortred commented with a smile on her face.

"You're too young to say that crap." Luna interjected, causing the baker to flinch and laugh awkwardly.

"Getting touchy, Luna?" Slithice said, eliciting a unsavory glare from the barista.

"Wow, what got your panties in a bunch?" Magina asked, the words flying out before he could stop it.

He made sure he was sitting as far away from the grizzled barista, who didn't already pounce on him because she was held back by the two sitting next to her. After she was sure that Luna wouldn't do anything else, Mirana let out a giggle as she turned to face the solo waiter. "You're not gonna take a dip?"

Magina shrugged his shoulders, giving off the impressions that he didn't put much thought into it. "I'm just gonna enjoy the view."

A bellowing laugh came from Mortred, seemingly amused by his intentions. "Voicing your _voyeurisme_? How very upfront."

The waiter became flustered, not intending his words to sound as suggestive as it was. "Uh, n-no, that's not what I meant."

"Uhuh, _sure_." Mortred rolled her eyes, before running off to the sea.

He sighed, leaning on his hands as he sat under their shaded area. Although it truly wasn't his intentions, he couldn't help himself, as his eyes glazed over his coworkers and their younger entourage. They fell first on the girls at the beach, seeing the waves splash around them. The younger ones wore one piece swimsuits like how he expected them to wear; polka dot patterned with blue and pink colors, and black with a spider web pattern. He wasn't expecting Shendel's meek younger sister to wear something that showed that much skin, so he turned his eye away before he felt too much like a creep.

Appropriately he went to Shendel, who shared the same sharp pattern on her swimsuit as her sister's. The two of them were bonding, rekindling their lost time. He sighed as he tore his gaze from them, landing on the part timer that was tumbling in the waters, with the baker clutching her own stomach as she bawled in laughter. Apparently it was Mortred's fault that Lanaya was in such a predicament.

He gazed at Mortred's form as the baker helped Lanaya up, noticing her odd pair of swimwear. When he first saw them, he thought that she had just worn her sports bra and shorts. Upon closer inspection before she had darted off, he saw that they were the same material as a swimsuit. He shrugged, thinking that maybe women's sportswear could work well under water, or that there were specific designs for swim wear. H didn't really know much of women's wear. The part timer had a more subdued one piece that showed a bit of her back, with a simple green and pink pattern. He thought the colors would clash, but it somehow worked on her.

Not wasting any time, he turned his head to the three that were there with him, shading themselves from the heat and not as active as their younger coworkers. Their manager, the ever radiant Mirana, was applying lotion on herself, very delicately as to not miss any spot on her. She wore a see through white sundress over her sky blue bikini. When their eyes locked for a moment, she smiled at him, a blush forming though she didn't seem embarrassed.

He was slightly uncomfortable at being caught, so he turned to the farthest woman, who was humming a tune as she enjoyed the coastal breeze. There was a part of him that didn't actually expect their resident singer to actually have a bikini, in regards to her former occupation, but he was pleasantly surprised to say the least. The teal color went well with her orange-tinged hair.

Lastly was the person that he had drawn ire from a few moments ago. She looked clearly uncomfortable being here, unlike the rest of them. When he eyed her figure, he kind of knew why. She wore her usually blue shorts and a purple sport's sweater. He also caught a glimpse of her bra underneath before she buttoned it up. By the looks of things, she did not have any sort of swim suit.

As his eyes glazed over her, he only now noticed the scars around her neck and collarbone. Some were deep, and some were burns. Some were slices, some were bullet holes. His eyes widened, and he could only assume that the rest of her body had the same amount, merely shielded by her clothing. His eyes quickly wandered to the former Guard Captain, who had lowered herself onto the towel facing down. She gave the bottle of lotion Mirana had lent her to Luna, asking the barista to apply it to her. Slithice too had various amount of scars, though not as much as Luna. He then returned to the baker, who had stepped away from the waves. And again, scars. He looked down onto himself, seeing how relatively "clean" he was. Despite his "journey", he had come out relatively unscathed. A part of him was envious that they had marks on them.

"Done ogling us?" Mirana said teasingly, as she appeared right beside him. Dangerously close too, as the proximity caused a sudden intake of air from him.

"No, I mean, yes…" he cursed immediately, letting his words fumble as Mirana giggled at him. He tried to set the situation straight. "I was just admiring the scars the girls have."

"Hm?" came the drawn out hummed response of the manager. "Scars?"

"Yeah…" he couldn't help but gulp at the way Mirana was looking at him. There was something off about her this day. "Luna, Slithice and Mortred, they have a lot of scars. From what they've been through in their past."

"And what's wrong with that? Are you disgusted?"

"No no! Not at all!" came his all too quick reply. "I actually think it's cool. "Every scar has a story" is what I like to say. And it kinda sucks that, that I don't have that much."

A shiver ran up his spine when he felt a finger trace itself on a scar located on his back. Instantly there was a space created between them as he backed away from the Manager, who was giggling coyly at him. "I think your scars look _great_."

The initial shock had finally dissipated, as he now glared at the overly touchy manager. "Mirana, what the hell? What's wrong with you?" Mirana flinched away from Magina's sudden hostility. "This is so unlike you, it's absurd!"

"Haha, what are you talking about, Magi?" Mirana responded rather awkwardly. "I'm not acting weird."

"Don't give me that shit." He responded. "Seriously, what's up with you?"

"She's trying to keep her mind off of **it**, Magi." Luna voiced out, as she spread the lotion on Slithice's back.

Mirana grimaced when Luna had outed her. "Lunaaaa." She drawled out weakly.

Magina stared at them confusedly, and at first Mirana had a look of relief. But she sighed defeatedly when it all clicked on him. He stared at Mirana closely, shame now filling Mirana. "Jeez, Mirana. What happened? You look paler than Luna."

"That's what Luna said this morning." Slithice commented as she sat herself back up. Both she and Luna were now sitting behind the manager.

Luna slapped the manager on the small of her back, causing a light shriek to escape Mirana. All confidence and bravado had completely disappeared from the now weak looking manager. "Where's that bug Nyx gave you?" the barista asked, her tone making it sound more like a command.

"Uh, he's in my bag." Mirana replied, rubbing the reddening spot on her back. They all were silent as Luna rummaged through Mirana's bag, looking for the aforementioned gift. Then Luna let out a cry of pain, pulling her hand out of the bag, a noticeable bleeding cut on the tip of her finger. "Oh yeah, he doesn't like it if anyone else touches him. Puck learned that the hard way." Light giggling commenced.

Ignoring the glare Luna gave her, Mirana plunged her hand into her bag, bringing out with her the spiky looking beetle. Magina looked confused, as he didn't remember the beetle having spikes. Then the spikes slowly retracted, going back inside its carapace. It crawled around Mirana, now that it was free of the confining bag.

"If you're not feeling well, then why did you come along?" Magina asked, now that they weren't preoccupied again.

"'Mene told me to, she said that the coastal air provides a good atmosphere for dreams." Mirana answered, letting the beetle moved up her body, stopping at her shoulder.

"So if you hear thrashing and screaming at night, don't worry about it." Luna said to him.

"What? How can I not worry? Any normal person would worry about this." Magina complained.

"She has Puck and this thing that will take care of her." Luna added, crossing her arms over her chest. "And me just in case it gets bad."

"Aw, thanks Luna." Came Mirana's reply of gratitude.

"Sure, princess." Luna stood up after, looking back at the parked cars. "So anybody know where Sylla is?"

"He told me he's getting our rooms at the inn we're staying." Slithice answered. "I don't know if he's gonna join us here though."

"Well, I don't think bears are fond of beaches." All heads turned to the wet form of Mortred, dripping the clinging water on to the sand. She shook her head, splattering the water from her wet hair around. "What were you guys talking about?"

"Magina was admiring the scars you girls have on your bodies." Mirana quickly said, diverting the unwanted attention back at Magina, who looked at her incredulously.

He turned to Luna, hoping the barista would call Mirana out on it, but the intrigued look she had meant that she was on Mirana's side for this one. He glanced back at Mirana, seeing the manager have a triumphant look on her face. He felt the curious gazes of his coworkers on him now. Especially Luna and Mortred, as the two were standing and now leaning themselves closer to Magina.

"So you like women with scars, Magi?" Luna asked, a small smirk appearing on her face.

_Shit._ he thought, realizing how big of a hole he had put himself in. He felt an arm wrap itself around his neck, pulling him closer to Mortred, with his face pushing up her chest. He figured that the best course of action was to stay quiet, as the baker was unfazed by her own actions. "Ah, would you like us to give you some scars, Magi? I'm sure they'd look great."

"N-n-n-no thanks. I'm not a masochist." He replied, his face now turning slightly red.

"Girls, I think you're making him uncomfortable." Slithice said observantly. A teasing smirk then formed on her lips. "Or perhaps you're making him a little _too_ comfortable?"

The teasing smirks turned devious, the girls already cackling as ideas on how to mess with Magina. Only Slithice was just giggling at their antics, having not been part of the group earlier in their life. Magina, with one last attempt, looked to Luna for help, hoping the barista could go easy on him. But all he saw was her backside, as she left their spot heading off to somewhere else. He screamed one last time before it was drowned by the teasing he was subjected too.

The barista in question, having left them to their own, was walking to the approaching custodian who had finally arrived. The older man was shaking his head at his younger coworkers' antics, a pleased look now forming as he saw Luna approaching him. He sighed when she stood in front of him, with her hand on her waist.

"A little bit late to the party old man." Luna said with a smirk. "You're gonna mingle with some fresh blood there?"

Sylla chuckled, pleased by Luna's presence. "Nay. Ta'much of'an age gap." He answered for her. "'Ts why yer great, we're closer than th'rest."

Luna laughed, unlike the many times the girls poked fun of her age. "Hey now. Slithice is only a year younger than I am. I'm sure you can mingle with her as well."

"Ah, then I'm sure she can 'njoy our mornin' talks." He said, still chuckling.

"You got the rooms ready?"

"Aye. Ye can 'njoy the sun for longer. We have time." He explained.

The smirk faded from Luna's face, taking on a more neutral look. Then a soft smile formed on her face. She grasped Sylla's hand, bringing him along with her. A short struggled sound escaped him, surprised by her action.

"Come on, you old geezer. I'll keep you company." Luna said, their direction leading them to one of the many restaurants located on the beach.

Sylla couldn't help but laugh at this progression. "Ye sure are active there, Moona."

"Just this one time, don't expect too much from it." Luna said excusingly. "Besides, what I'm wearing isn't really beachwear, so we're fine."

"_Sure_" he responded, as they entered the seaside restaurant, their activities unknown by everyone else that came along.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

eyo, a special beach episode! we'll actually be seeing a lot of this little trip of theirs, since i feel like we've been having a lot of serious chapters recently. so, prepare yourselves for a lot of fluff!

and no, this isn't gonna be LD x Luna. this is just an homage. sorry shippers!

once again, hope you guys had a blast reading this!


	79. Marooned Stars

**Marooned Stars**

The sound of the blissful sea as the waves strike the coast filled the night atmosphere. Despite the light activity, thanks to the early autumn season, the various stores and stalls were crowded to the brink. The beach itself still had a handful of tourists, enjoying their own late night activities. It ranged from a dip under the starry sky, playing with fireworks to set the mood, or a small bonfire for a barbecue dinner.

With a sigh, Shendel closed the window in her room, disappointed that she wasn't down there. Elodie and Noire were no doubt having the time of their lives, with Mortred, Lanaya and Magina looking after them. She didn't join along with them because she had volunteered to stick around when Mirana passed out after their baths.

_Ah, that's right._ she thought, remembering what had happened just a few hours before.

They had finally turned in to the inn, ready to end the day. The inn housed a communal bath that they took advantage of, spending close to an hour just letting their bodies relax in the warm waters. But their night turned for the worse, when to their horror their manager had fallen unconscious just as they stepped out. Their short cries were silenced by Luna, already cradling Mirana in her arms. She told everyone to head back to their rooms, as she would handle the situation.

When everyone grouped up again right after, Sylla had appeared before them, ushering them to ease their worries with the various activities they could take part outside. Her sister and friend were highly enthused about the idea. So was Mortred in fact, under the pretense that she'd like to see what kind of souvenirs they could acquire. Under Slithice's urgings, Lanaya and Magina tagged along, as Shendel herself had opted to stay behind.

She left her room, still preoccupied with that thought, and went down the hall to the room that Mirana was at. Without knocking, she entered the room, joining the others that were there. Mirana was laid down on the bed with her feet at the headboard, granting Puck easier access to the Manager's head. Even the 8 legged beetle was "resting" on her forehead. It unnerved her, seeing the young girl change her demeanor when Mirana had these episodes. How the cheerful, childlike wonderment completely disappears, and in its place is some alien train of thought that was beyond her. Fortunately for her, Puck was also unconscious, apparently helping Mirana from within.

Watching over the both of them was Luna sitting on the other bed, arms crossed as she stared intently at them. She had a glaring look on her, but those who knew her could tell that she was concerned. Perhaps a little overly so. The barista hadn't even changed to a more comfortable set of clothes, still wearing the same bathrobe from before. Her hair looked wrinkled but dried, indicating that she had left it to dry on its own. She'd never seen Luna so nervous before, something she'd never thought possible just a year ago.

Just realizing the soft hum in the room, Shendel turned her gaze to Slithice, sitting on the edge of the bed Mirana was on. She hummed some sort of melodic tune, as if to comfort the unconscious manager. By all accounts, this should be the first time Slithice has ever seen this happen, yet the former Guard Captain, perhaps rather appropriately, took it all in stride. Her hand stroked Mirana's leg comfortingly, and unlike Luna she had already changed to her sleepwear, a very large oversized blue shirt.

With one last person in mind, she looked onward to Sylla, seeing the old man looking out the window. He seemed to be preoccupied with the night life, just like her a few moments ago. He didn't have the usual hard stare he used to give off back at Dark Moon; in its place was a longing look. Whether he was thinking of the ones that went off out, about Mirana's problem, or something else entirely, she did not know.

"She looks really feverish." Slithice said to the room, inching closer to Mirana's head. She brought her hand to the manager's cheek, patting it lightly. "And she looks even paler. Does this happen often?"

Shendel and Sylla turned to Luna, knowing the barista has the most experience when dealing with this. Luna sighed, bringing her palm to her face. She looked even more stressed than usual. "No, it doesn't. Usually it's just in her dreams, and even those started becoming less frequent when Puck moved here. The last time she passed out was even because of Puck."

"Then had she ever passed out like this?" Shendel asked. There was a small feeling of guilt, at never having known about this before.

Luna nodded rather grimly. "Only once, a few months after Dark Moon opened. She really gave 'Mene a fright." A somber chuckle came right after.

"What did you guys do then?" Shendel continued.

"'Mene took her to Nyx. It was hard finding her." Luna answered. "She's always on the move."

"Why?"

"Because she's a wanted woman." Slithice answered, eliciting a surprised response from Shendel. "Still is, actually. Not even I could catch up with her. I hope Slardar's doing fine."

"Whether he's fine or not is irrelevant." Luna piped in. "If he sets his mind on a target, he's not gonna stop until either he catches them, or they just make him stop."

Shendel looked worried. "And would Nyx do that too?"

A jovial chuckle came from behind her. She felt a large hand fall on her shoulder. "O'curse, lass. Nyx ain't one to shy away from a'fight."

"And don't let her frail look fool you." Luna added for the older man. "She's pretty strong, and she can shrug off any hits she takes."

"And how would you know that, Luna?" Slithice inquired, an eyebrow raised at the barista.

"She offered to spar with me then, while Mirana was resting." Luna answered. "I staggered her a few times, but she would just let it settle for a bit, and be ready for the next attack. She outlasted me."

"Nyx ain't one to be trifled with, Moona." Sylla told the barista, still chuckling though now mostly aimed at her.

"Yeah, and that's just herself. She still has her army." Slithice added.

"No, no, Captain. She dusn't have'an army." Sylla corrected. "But every gang within the province follows her command. Except the Doombringers and the Bloodseekers."

"Aren't the Nightstalkers part of those?" Luna asked, looking slightly troubled.

Sylla shook his head, looking disappointed at the barista. "Nay, Moona. They lost powe' ever since you destroyed them. Don'tell me you forgot."

A sad, distant look was visible on Luna's eyes at the mention of that. "I don't like remembering my past, Sylla. It's not a good road to relive."

"We'all have things we wish to furget, Moona." Sylla told the barista, though his words didn't help her. "That's just the wa-"

Sylla was cut off by the sudden gasp of Puck, awaking herself from her slumber. The custodian immediately went off to the room's bathroom. Shendel and Slithice approached the agitated Puck, her breathing slightly erratic and sweat starting to build up on her face. Her eyes were wide from adrenaline for that short moment when she woke up, but now they struggled to keep themselves opened, a hazy look now taking over them.

She looked around her, meeting the concerned stares of everyone in the room, before returning to the still asleep Mirana. "I have to get back."

"Calm down, Puck." Slithice said, halting the young dream seer with her hand on her shoulder. "What's going on?"

"We're almost done. It's taking a lot, but we can stop this." Puck said, rather cryptically for the former Guard Captain.

Luna however looked at the young girl with hopeful eyes. "Forever?" came her one word question.

At this, Puck's shoulders further slumped, lacking her usual youthful bravado. "I don't know. This whole experience is my first time having to deal with a task such as Atropos. The tasks mum used to give me then never amounted to anything like this."

She felt a wet sensation cover her head, looking up to see Sylla emerge, wiping her head with a drenched towel. She smiled appreciatively at the old man. "Is Mirana okay in 'ere?"

"She's doing her best in there, don't worry." Puck answered reassuringly. "And the assassin is also doing his best."

Shendel squinted her eyes, confusedly. "Assassin?"

"Uhm…" Puck looked around, searching for the thing creature she had meant. "This little guy right here." She pointed to the beetle still resting on Mirana.

"Aye, Nyx's most precious." Came the custodian's words of agreement.

"Kid…" Luna called out, halting Puck from reentering the dream world. "just get her back, okay?"

"Definitely!" Puck replied enthusiastically. She faced the unconscious manager, her open hands laid beside the sleeping woman's head. A short incantation was whispered, and within a second her eyes glowed an orange color, letting her drift off into a slumber.

Luna sighed when Puck rejoined Mirana, prompting herself to move back to where she sat. Sylla himself stood above them, watching over their forms. Slithice pulled Shendel away from the group. The waitress wondered what the singer planned, pulling her closer.

"Let's order take out, find something to eat for everyone." Slithice whispered. "We all haven't eaten yet, and we're not really needed right now."

Not knowing how else she could be of use, Shendel nodded, wanting something to do so as to not get her restless. "Okay, let's go."

"Great." Slithice responded with a calming smile. "We'll be back guys." She said to Sylla and Luna, leaving them as her and Shendel exited the room.

Finding something to eat wasn't hard, as various little food shacks and stalls crowded the inn. They settled with a relatively quiet place, listing their orders for a quick walk back. Small talk was exchanged between the two of them, as they filled the time spent with walking and waiting. Shendel always found the former Guard Captain to be very personable. That was something she only heard about before, through various news articles about her. Experiencing it first hand was an entirely different thing.

"Did you know about Mirana's problem?" Slithice asked out of the blue, as they entered the inn again, carrying the foods they had ordered.

"Yes, actually. Though not as much as Luna and Sylla." Shendel answered.

"I heard from Selemene that Luna and Mirana weren't as close as they are now before. Yet, Luna still knew about this?"

"They weren't just "not close", Luna hated Mirana back then. Irrationally too." Shendel explained. "But this whole thing was the one and only thing Luna would help Mirana on."

"You think Selemene had something to do with that?" Slithice shared the thought with the waitress.

Shendel nodded. "Probably. You know what?" She halted her steps, thinking about it for a while, before nodding again with certainty. "Most likely. 'Mene always wanted those two to get along."

Slithice showed a calming smile. "And now she's gotten her wish."

"Uhm, maybe. Luna still gets annoyed with Mirana, and the fact that she still uses "princess" might attest to that." Shendel elaborated.

Slithice giggled. "Yeah, but our busty barista gets annoyed with a lot of things."

Their hearty laugh filled the hallway, finding the statement hilarious considering how true it was. "You're not wrong about that!" Shendel responded through her fits of laughter.

They filled their remaining steps with silence, so as to not disturb the people staying at the inn, especially the people that were waiting for them. When Slithice's hand reached the door handle, she put a finger on her mouth, ushering Shendel to stay quiet. When the waitress nodded, she opened the door. What they saw inside wouldn't have stopped Shendel from gasping loudly.

They were not prepared on seeing Sylla and Luna holding down a thrashing Mirana, the manager's ragged breathing filling the once silent room. Instantly Slithice dropped the plastic bags they were carrying, running towards them. Shendel followed after she was shaken out of her initial surprise, joining the rest of them. Slithice held Mirana's leg along with Sylla while Shendel held her arm with Luna.

"Good thing yer here, Shen. We woulda lacked a person now." Sylla commented, grateful at their timely arrival.

"How long has she been thrashing?" Slithice questioned, concerned for the manager's well being.

"Just recently, actually." Luna answered.

"That means Puck's almost done, right?" Shendel asked, making the other three face her. "I mean, this happened last time, at Dark Moon."

"Hm, she's not wrong, Moona." Sylla said with a nod, agreeing with Shendel's observations. "What happene' when 'Mene and ya went'a Nyx?"

A troubled look covered Luna's expression. "I don't remember. That was a long time ago."

"Then looks like we'll get our answer soon enough." Slithice said as she tightened her hold on Mirana's leg.

All of them were holding Mirana down, bracing for the worst to come as her thrashing got wilder. Her screams became screeches, the loudness of it having started to hurt Luna and Shendel's ears, being the ones closest to her. They held out for longer, not knowing when it will finally end. After what felt like forever to them, Mirana stopped her thrashing, her eyes shooting open, though she stayed laid down.

The others stepped back, giving the manager room to breathe as she looked around the room, her eyes wandering about. Luna, after a short respite, approached the still lain manager, leaning closer to Mirana's view. Upon seeing the barista, Mirana's face relaxed, relief washing over her. A few tears emerged at the edge of her eyes. When she moved her head to rise up, she realized that the beetle was still on her forehead, scurrying down onto her shoulder. She giggled earnestly.

"Atropos won't be coming here for a while." Puck said to the room, as she too had awoken again.

Sylla approached the young Puck, planting his comparatively enormous hand on top of her head. "Aye, ye did good lass."

Puck flashed the old man a toothy grin, pride swelling up from the compliment. Luna helped Mirana sit up so the manager could see everyone in the room more clearly. She gave them her smile that while lacking its usual weight was still as radiant as ever.

"How are you feeling?" Slithice asked as Luna pulled the manager closer to the headboard.

Mirana sighed tiredly, but she looked back at the singer. "Like weight was lifted off my shoulders."

"Your color is even returning." Shendel commented, noting Mirana's paleness fading.

""Yeah, it is." She replied. Her head started looking back and forth, as if just realizing something. "Where's everyone else?"

""We sent'em off out." Sylla answered. "Can' have'em all somber."

"Uh, yeah I guess." She replied sadly.

A growling filled the room after she uttered those words, its kind very distinct as they homed in on the source, the manager's face reddening from embarrassment. Laughter filled the brief silence, and soon even Mirana joined in.

"If you're hungry, just say so." Slithice said, rubbing Mirana's arm comfortingly. "We already got food for everyone."

"Is that why you guys went out?" Luna asked.

"Yeah, hopefully you guys will like it!" Shendel said as she plucked the dropped plastic bags. Luckily for them, the containers were sturdy to withstand the fall.

"Aw, its seafood, isn't it?" Puck asked with disgust and disappointment.

Luna smacked the young girl's back lightly, eliciting a childish yelp from Puck. "Even though you saved the day, you're still not allowed to complain about stuff like this."

Her exaggerated cries went ignored as Shendel brought their meals onto the bed, bringing each of them out. Slithice helped the waitress give each person their dinners. It was still warm, fortunately for them. Mirana in particular inhaled the sweet aroma of hers, as if she hadn't eaten a good meal for an eternity.

"So is this Atropos thing still around?" Shendel asked to both Mirana and Puck.

The young girl nodded first, her face cringing from chewing her meal. "Mum said even if you make him disappear, he'll just come back."

"The best thing we could hope for is to make him leave me." Mirana added, shivering from the thought.

"So, this thing isn't like a widespread phenomenon?" Slithice questioned, having considered such a thing as nothing more than a myth before.

Sylla shook his head, but Luna was the one that answered. "No, from what 'Mene explained to me, there's only one of this thing, and it always looks for victims."

"What would qualify as a "victim" then?"

"Someone who had a very sunny outlook on life and future." The barista further elaborated. "Which what Mirana was before she moved here."

"And we'll leave it at that." Mirana quickly said, not wanting anyone to delve on her past. "It's a sad memory that I'd rather not remember."

A chuckle was the last thing any of them expected, all their heads turned to the old custodian. "Ye two sure do hav' a lot in common."

Mirana responded with a giggle, as the custodian's thought lightened her spirit. The barista meanwhile did not respond in kind, scowling at Sylla but not uttering a retort. Unfortunately for her, this simple response was enough to bring the whole room into a fit of laughter, joining the chuckling and giggling before them. Not even Luna could be immune to the infectious atmosphere, soon joining them with her subdued laughs. And drowned out by the entire room, only heard by the manager that he stood on, chittering escaped him.

_Chichci cihchi Nyx chichcichcihcihchi._

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

alrighty, another chapter still on the beach!

next week will be the last beach chapter! stay tuned!

hope you guys had fun! don't forget to review and criticize!


	80. Through Death's Eyes

**Through Death's Eyes**

Amidst the quiet street, deep in the Downtown area of Elze was a busy orphanage, filled with children and teenagers enjoying their time. A couple of older girls wearing nothing but black were watching over them, making sure nothing would befall them. Inside said building, on the highest floor situated in one of the rooms was a middle aged woman knitting a black colored sweater. She had a content look on her face, eager to present her latest creation to her daughters. When she heard fast heavy steps getting louder, she smiled, planting the unfinished sweater on her dresser.

The door shot open, revealing an older teenager wearing a black jersey and track pants. Her green eyes wandered around the room, before landing on the woman. With her smile contorting ever wider, she ran towards the woman. "Mama!" she called out, launching onto the woman's bed and landing with a soft thud.

The woman smiled, patting the teenager's short blonde hair. "Anxious, Sev?"

"Yeah, in a month I'll start college!" the girl named Sev said excitedly, sitting herself up on the bed. "Can't wait to see what Ultimyr will be like!"

"Did you pack your clothes yet?" the woman asked.

"Mama, it's still a month away. I got time!" Sev replied with an exaggerated pout.

"It's better to be prepared, Sev." Her mother scolded. "Now go, use this month to make sure you have everything you need."

"Yes, Sev. Listen to mum, and don't bother her when she's busy." An older woman in her late twenties said as she appeared in the open doorway, holding a phone to her ear.

"She's not busy, Qara. She was just knitting." Sev responded to her sister.

Qara rolled her eyes, shaking her head at her sister's obliviousness. Their mother looked at her, noticing the older sister on the phone. "Who are you talking to, Qara? City delegates again?"

Qara shook her head, a smile now forming on her face. "Just Noire, asking us what souvenirs we want."

"Oh oh!" Sev kneeled up on the bed, almost tripping over from how uneven it was. "She's in Shadeshore, right? I want the Bulwark they sell there!"

"Don't you mean a shield, or aegis?" Qara asked for clarification.

Sev nodded. "Yeah, but it's called the Bulwark there. Can you ask her to get it for me? Please? I know it's expensive, but it's so cool!"

The eldest sister sighed at her younger kin's insistence. "You're almost 19, for God's sakes. But okay, I'll tell Noire here." Sev struck her hand up in the air in success as Qara faced their mother. "Would you like anything mum?"

Their mother shook her head. "I'll be happy with anything Noire gets for me." She held her hand out to the eldest daughter. "I'd like to speak to her, if you don't mind."

Qara smiled respectfully, handing her mother the phone. "Of course, mum. She's just a bit busy talking to the vendors right now."

"Oh, I can wait." Their mother said with a smile, taking the phone from Qara's hand. Placing the phone near her ear, she could hear idle chatter going on in the background.

_The Shadeshores_

"Come on, can't you just lower it a _little_?" Noire said as she negotiated with the vendor, shaking his head at her.

"No no! Too much! Pay full price or go!" the vendor replied.

"Fine! Have it your way!" Noire responded, turning on her heel and grabbing Elodie's hand, dragging her friend along.

Elodie simply sighed as Noire stomped away from the vendor, still clutching her phone with her other hand. They've been exploring the beach, looking for a nice cheap place to buy souvenirs, but so far they have achieved nothing. This was the last day they were staying here, and she would've spent it enjoying it like they did the days before.

Noire brought them closer to where the waters met their feet, giving Elodie an apologetic smile. Elodie smiled back, glancing at the phone Noire's been holding on to. "Weren't you on the phone with someone?"

Noire's eyes widened in surprise. "Damn, I forgot!" she said, quickly putting the phone to her ear. "Hey Qara, sorry that took a while! What do you guys want?"

"_Hey honey, how's the beach?_" came her mother's voice from the other line.

"Mom!" came Noire's surprised response. "I thought you were busy!"

"_I'll always have time for my babies. I hope you're not inconveniencing the people you're going with._"

"Oh, mom." Noire laughed nervously. "Please, I'm not **that** much of a hassle for people." At this, she glanced back at Noire, who laughed at her nervousness. "Did Qara and Sev say what they want?"

"_Sev said she wanted something called the_ "Bulwark". _Qara said she's fine with anything._"

"And you, mom?"

"_I don't need anything fancy, Noire. Anything you get me, I'll know it will have your love in it._"

Elodie giggled when she saw a blush form on Noire's face. "Aw, mom. Even far away you still embarrass me in front of people."

"_It's what mothers do best, dear. Stay safe now._"

"Yes mom. Love you."

"_Love you too._" Noire hung up the phone, glaring at her friend who did nothing but giggle at her.

"It's not funny!" Noire yelled, causing Elodie to giggle harder. "My mom's always been like that, there's nothing I can do!"

"I think it's sweet." Elodie said to her. "Even before everything became like they are now, my parents were never like that."

A dejected look replaced the smile Elodie had, prompting Noire to hurryingly cheer her friend up. "Hey, i'm sure they cared for you. They are your parents after all."

Elodie sighed sadly. "Yeah, I'm sure they do." Noire couldn't tell if she was being sarcastic or not. "Hey, you're not all adopted, right?"

Noire raised an eyebrow at the question, wondering where it came from. "Yeah, we 're not?" she answered unsurely.

"How about you? Are you adopted?" Noire laughed nervously, surprised at the turn of this situation.

"No, actually. I'm one of my mother's biological children. Her youngest, in fact." Noire explained. "My eldest biological sister is two years younger than Qara."

Elodie tilted her head cutely. "How come I've never seen her?"

"She's busy getting her doctorate." Noire replied, a small feeling of pride swelling up within her. "She's the star of the family."

Elodie's face had a look of amazement, her eyes having a far off look to it. "Wow, that's incredible! When's she coming back?"

"Later at the end of the year is when she'll be done." Noire's face brightened when a thought came to her. "I'll introduce you two! It'll be great!"

"Cool. Can't wait!" Elodie exclaimed excitedly.

"Hey girls!" The both of them turned to see Mirana waving at them, slowly moving to where they stood. "Are you two done? We'd like to head back as soon as possible." She told them from a distance.

They both shook their heads. "No, we'll be right back!" Noire told the manager, dragging Elodie along as they head back out.

"Hey, let's split up." Elodie suggested. "We're running a bit late here. It'll be easier if we can cover more ground."

"I don't know, Elodie. These people are pretty shifty." Noire said apprehensively.

"Come on, we'll be fine!" she assured her friend. "Now give me half the list and I'll try and get them. We'll be here forever if you and the vendors keep on talking prices."

"Yeah, but they're charging an elephant here!" the black clad girl complained. "It's absurd!"

"Well, we either get them now, or not get them at all." Elodie held her hand out to Noire expectantly. "Just give me half the list, and I'll go find them. 'Kay?"

Reluctantly, Noire pulled out her phone, typing in something before sending it to Elodie. "There you go. Where should we meet back up?"

"Hm, I don't know. Why don't we just call the other when we get the stuff, and then we'll decide?" Elodie suggested again.

Noire was still not into the plan of splitting up, but noticing that they were running out of time, she nodded again. "Okay, I'll head all the way to the end, and you go to that row of stalls."

"Alright, and let's be quick about it!" with that set up, they went on their way.

Elodie, after the few months she's moved to Elze, has gotten accustomed to dealing things on her own, developing in her own special way. Having been homeschooled, she lived a shelter life unlike her sisters (Shendel going to a public school by choice while Zanria went to a private one.). Every time she'd ask her parents why she was exempted, they would give her roundabout and nonsensical answers that frustrated her. At least now, she's able to move on and mature. Slowly growing out her timidness, she feels as if she's ready to face the world now.

She blew through her whole list faster than Noire would with one vendor, pride swelling up within her from her small accomplishment. Carrying the bags of assorted souvenirs, she already had her phone out with the intention of calling Noire, but upon seeing an ice cream cart, her mouth watered at the sight. After a short moment contemplating, she pocketed her phone and ordered a single cone, enjoying the sweet, cool sensation of the ice cream.

"I'm sure she can wait a bit." Elodie said as she licked her ice cream.

She was in her own little world with the ice cream, that she didn't notice a tall man walking toward her direction. He bumped into her, almost sending her ice cream to the ground if she didn't have a firm grip on it. Elodie, being the timid girl that she was, turned to apologize to the man for standing in his way, but she stopped with her mouth open when she gazed upon the tall man.

The man grinned at her, intimidating the timid girl with his scare laden face. "Oh, _pardon_ my manners. I had my **eyes** locked on, something else. I _deeply_ apologize."

Despite the man's nice words, she stuttered as she was intimidated with fear, unable to let the words leave her mouth. The man's blue suit looked out of place in the beach, which elevated her worry of him. "Oh, what's _wrong_?" he asked, his hand now touching her cheek. His grin widened, showing his razor sharp teeth. "**Cat** got your tongue, little _bird_?"

"Step away from her this instant." Elodie let loose the breath she held when she heard Luna's sharp voice nearing her. She backed away from the man when she saw a brief look of surprise transforming into a devious smirk.

"My, **my**. Well _this_ is a, pleasant surprise, if I do say so myself." The man said as he locked eyes with Luna as the barista wrapped her arm around Shendel's younger sister. "Although **you're** not really, dressed for the _occasion_."

His comment about Luna's attire riled her up, but she kept control of her emotions. "Why are you here, Razor?"

His smile faded, giving him a neutral expression that was flashed their way. "I have an, _appointment_ with someone from around here. **Nobody** important."

The man moved his gaze downward to the frightened Elodie, shrinking deeper into Luna's form. Elodie only then noticed the odd, three line pattern that went through each of his eyes from his eyebrows. It served to make him appear even more horrifying to her. The way he looked down on her made her feel even smaller.

"Hey, Elodie!" the tense moment was broken when Noire joined them, oblivious to what was happening. "Was about to call, but I saw Luna coming here."

Elodie's response was to only give concerned glances to her friend. Noire, seeing the troubled look, only now saw that Luna and the strange looking man were staring at each other. Luna in particular had her face slowly contorting into a scowl while the man's smirk widened with each second.

Luna, without taking her eyes off of Razor, pushed Elodie towards Noire. "Get out of her, girls." She told them commandingly.

They both nodded, moving away from the two of them as Elodie threw away the now melted ice cream she wanted to eat. While Elodie wanted to run back to where the others were, she was stopped by Noire, who stood in place just not too far from Luna. Elodie gave her friend an outraged look, with Noire responding with her own apologetic look.

"What are you doing? I wanna leave!" Elodie complained, trying to usher Noire to come along with her.

"Wait wait, I feel like I know that man." Noire replied, giving an odd answer to Elodie.

Elodie's was shocked to hear that, her initial fearing dissipating for the moment before returning in full force for a different reason. "What? How?"

Noire shrugged, shaking her head lightly. "I don't know. I can't remember." She elaborated.

"That's the Executioner." They turned their heads to see Mortred and Mirana walking up to them. Mirana too had a look of fear when she saw the Executioner. "I guess it's not surprising for Luna to know him."

"Have you ever made contact with that man?" Mirana asked the baker. The two teenagers looked at them, wondering what they were talking about.

Mortred shook her head. "No, but my "sisters" were sent to him." A look of forlorn covered the baker. "I remember four of them were sent. Only one came back."

"So he really isn't someone to be messed with." Mirana said to no one in particular. "Luna told me that I should never associate myself with him."

"And you girls should follow that advice as well." Mortred added, drawing them closer.

The four of them continued observing from a distance, seeing Luna and the Executioner converse about something. The man still had the devious smirk, contrasting heavily with Luna's scowl. Whatever he was saying seemed to further push Luna's buttons. After a while, he waved her off dismissively, turning his way towards the four of them. Luna immediately shot her hand out to grab his, holding him in place. He had an amused look on his face, and instead of trying to free his hand from her grip, he held her wrist and dragged her along. It was her turn to wrestle her hand out of his; walking behind him to make sure he had no ill intentions.

Mortred stood in front of the rest, shielding them from the approaching Executioner. Noire had moved her way beside the baker, curious of the man while Elodie and Mirana were wearier of him.

Razor stopped right in front of them, his tall frame towering over all of them. He grinned at Mirana, remembering the manager from that once time in the Guard Hall, but then turned his full attention to Noire, leaning closer to the black clad teen. Noire shifted backwards slightly, unnerved. "_You_ sure have, **grown**."

Noire wanted to respond, but she found herself struggling with her words, suddenly stuttering haphazardly in front of the man.

"What do you want with her?" Luna questioned him. Noire, feeling that this was actually way out of her league, joined Elodie next to the manager.

"Oh, _why_ must your distrust of me, be so **intense**?" Razor let out a guttural chuckle that sent shiver down their spines, barring Luna and Mortred.

Razor's hand moved to Noire's cheek, just like it did before on Elodie. Noire felt an odd surge from the contact, coursing through her body. This time it was Mortred that responded, pulling his hand off of Noire. The Executioner sized the person that interrupted him with a raised brow.

"Have _we_ met before?" he asked her.

"_Non_." came her flat reply.

Razor shrugged, with his interest in Mortred not lasting, as he went back to Noire. His grin widened. "I've _met_ your father, once."

His claim was met with surprised silence. Elodie faced her friend worryingly, seeing Noire's shocked face staring at the man.

"Razor…" Luna called out threateningly, but the Executioner merely chuckled at her, barely even glancing back.

"I'm very _certain_ that, this girl's mother never said a **thing** about him." Razor said. "I'm just doing this girl a _favor_."

Ignoring the barista behind him, he leaned his face closer to Noire so that his face was only an inch away from hers. "He _burned_ on the chair, and I **watched** his life slip away from him."

Noire's eyes widened at his words, unable to form a coherent response. The Executioner looked amused at what he had accomplished, setting himself up straight and turning to leave. He was not about to leave unscathed however, as just as he caught Luna in his view, the barista fist came flying at his face and sending him to the ground. Mortred and Mirana were already ushering the teens further away from the sight as Luna closed her distance on Razor.

The Executioner kept his eyes on the approaching Luna, chuckling at her. The punch was strong enough to dislocate the man's jaw, yet he seems unfazed by the pain. In fact it was Luna that was wincing, as her knuckles were bleeding from the punch. She was no doubt strong as many people could attest to, but the Executioner's skin always had some sort of feedback directed to his aggressors.

Razor relocated his jaw back to its place as Luna got on top of him, pinning him in place. "I'm _sure_ she can fill in the **pieces**."

"Stay out of the life of Arachnia and her family." Luna threatened, her bleeding hand wrapping around his neck.

"I've always _heard_ that you, had a soft spot for the **Brood**mother. Was it true that she, asked you to be part of her _family_?" Despite being pinned on the ground, he brought his hand to his face so he could look at his watch. "Now Luna, if you would **kindly**, I have a meeting soon. Please get off of me."

Luna wanted to so badly beat the Executioner, if only just for the fact that she hated him, and having a slightly legitimate answer would work out in her favor. But she knew she was slowly drawing in unwanted attention, so she loosened her grip on Razor's neck. Stepping aside, she let the Executioner get up on his own. He wiped the sand off his blue suit, flashing his grin to Luna.

He planted his hand on Luna's shoulder, with a few parting words. "See you _soon_, **Scourge of the Plains**." He fished out his mask from the pocket inside his jacket, wearing it on his face as he left Luna to herself.

Luna kept her eyes on his diminishing form, ignoring the odd stares that were thrown her way by the people nearby. She waited till she was sure that he was no longer on the beach, before returning to the rest. She kept a fast paced jog as she moved to the rest of them. Just as the others finally came to her view, Mirana was the first to approach her. When the manager stopped her, Luna saw Noire sitting there in a pseudo catatonic state, being comforted by Elodie.

"Mortred brought their souvenirs to the car." Mirana said, explaining the lack of the baker.

"What's wrong with Noire?" Luna asked, straight to the point.

Mirana looked uncomfortable, glancing back at the two teens. "She said that her mother never wanted to talk about her father." Mirana told Luna. "Only saying that he was a "bad man" when she was young."

"So she really did fill in the blanks." Luna said with a frown. "Is everyone ready to head back?"

"Yeah, Sylla already prepped up his truck." She answered. "The others are mostly still at the inn though."

Luna nodded, then moved to the teens with Mirana following. She crouched down, planting her hand on Noire. "Hey kid, let's head back." She said to Noire. "I'll whip you a drink that'll make you forget about this, okay?"

The thousand yard stare flashed away for that moment, a small smile appearing on her face. She nodded, but words still failed to escape her. But that nod was enough for them, as Luna and Elodie helped Noire up while Mirana carried the towel and umbrella. They left the beach with a rather sour note, but Luna was had it in mind to make sure the teen would go back to Arachnia in a happier mood. She respected the older woman, so she'd rather not their family be brought down into a darker atmosphere. It was the least she could do for the infamous Broodmother, after all these years.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

the last of the beach chapters, and we'll be heading back to Elze!

and sadly, i'm not really happy with this chapter, despite it being the first official appearance of the Broodmother.

but hopefully, you guys still enjoyed it! there will be more soon!


	81. Desolate Art

**Desolate Art**

The fading moonlight peered through the slightly open curtain as the dawn slowly crept its way up. The sound of water running filtered its way into the dark, dreary bedroom. Darkness enveloped the room, with the only sources of light coming from outside and the small gap from the bathroom. The sound of water running came from the bathroom, filling the silence that was embraced by the bedroom.

A woman was lying on the messy bed, her naked body barely covered by the blanket. Dried tears were still visible on her face, her body sore and aching as her spirit was just as crushed. A lifeless look was visible in her eyes, carrying off a thousand yard stare. The woman, breathing slowly, looked at the stump that used to be her hand. A disheartened sigh escaped her, as she clutched at what was left of it. The pain still stings her, but at least whatever _he_ did, it was a clean enough procedure to not 'cause her any lasting harm. But looking at the situation she was in, she wondered whether that was a good thing or not.

When the sound of water running stopped, she felt terror rise within her. She wanted to rise off from the bed, yet her body was too weak and exhausted to even move. She tried to raise herself with her elbows, moving ever slowly off the edge of the bed, but the door opened followed by light suddenly bathing the room. She froze from fear, not daring to look at the man.

She heard a deep chuckle coming from him, and she could hear him slowly approach her. He fished something out of the drawer beside his bed, before moving over her, pinning her down. Without word, he cuffed her hand onto the headboard, effectively holding her in place.

"Oh, come now. We're not done." He said to her, pushing her flat onto the bed. She sobbed.

"Please…" she cried out softly. Deep down, she hoped that he would free her from his clutches.

His hand grabbed a tuft of her hair, pulling her head so she could face him. She felt a blade touch her neck, drawing a little blood. "Oh, deary, I can end it for you right now. But as I've said before, we're not done yet." He threw the knife he held to the wall, letting her head fall back.

She wasn't even capable of crying anymore, her body being too spent. She felt him position himself over her and braced for the worst, but sudden heavy knocking came from the door. She could hear the man cursing, as he got off of her.

"Nevermore!" came the voice from outside the apartment. "Mr. Angelo is here to see you! Open up!"

The man named Nevermore left the room with the door still opened as he went to greet his visitors, leaving her alone. She tried to cover herself with the blanket again, but found it difficult without her hand. She was simply left with nothing to do but look at the man as he opened the door, greeting his guests.

"Ugh, you're naked." A sharp dressed woman in a purple suit said with disgust. "Get dressed; Mr. Angelo will be up in a moment."

"Holy hell, who did you bring this time?" a man in a more thuggish outfit asked. She guessed that it was him that was yelling before.

"Just this _wonderful_ pianist I met last night." The man named Nevermore chuckled. "She had the most _delightful_ hands."

"You're a freak, you know that?" the thuggish man said with disgust. The woman beside him shook her head before leaving them.

"I'm just an appreciator of the fine arts. There's nothing wrong with that." Nevermore responded, pulling the thuggish man inside.

The thuggish man stood by the doorway, still disturbed at having to be inside the apartment. Nevermore went back to his bedroom so he could put on a pair of pants. He sniffed on his captive's hair before leaving again. He made his way to his chair, sitting comfortable as he waited for the woman to come back with Angelo. He hummed a surprisingly pleasant tune to fill in the time and silence.

The woman from before entered unannounced, standing on the other side of the doorway. Heralded by the sharp dressed woman and the thuggish man, the mob boss finally entered the dilapidated apartment, his face immediately contorting in discomfort at what his eyes were seeing. Nevermore held his arms open as if welcoming the man, showing him to the open sofa across where Nevermore himself sat. Angelo reluctantly took the seat that was offered.

The mob boss glanced through the open bedroom door, seeing her shattered form on the bed. "A woman this time?"

Nevermore chuckled at the question. "I don't discriminate, Lucifer."

"And you still like calling me that." Angelo responded disapprovingly.

Nevermore shrugged, uncaring. "It _is_ your name. There's nothing wrong with it." He stretched his arms above his head. "So, what brings you here to my humble abode?"

"I need you to stop what you're doing right now." Nevermore's confident smile faded, wondering if what Angelo was really saying. "It's high time you stopped being a liability and actually get things done, Nevermore."

"Why the sudden change in attitude?" he asked, sounding concerned.

"It's because I'm actually getting tired covering for your ass, Nevermore." Angelo said, his deep voice reverberating through the room. "And I fear your old Master is on the move again."

Nevermore looked unresponsive when the mob boss explained his intentions. But in an instant, he grabbed his coffee table and threw it at the direction of his bedroom, crying out in anger. The coffee table and the door broke apart from the contact, with its debris flying over the bed. The woman that was still on the bed tried to cover herself, as Nevermore's outburst almost put her in further harm. She saw his face losing its playful and devious expression, as pure rage fully enveloped him. He looked far more frightening than before.

He faced Angelo again, now clearing his mind. "How? I thought Slithice already caught Blade months ago."

"Just because Blade is locked up doesn't mean this whole situation is over." Angelo leaned back on the sofa, his hands clasping together before his mouth. "And Slithice no longer being part of the City Guards makes him an even more threat than before."

"Of **all** the times we need that woman." Nevermore cursed, kicking his chair to the ground. "How did you come by this information?" the enraged man asked.

Angelo glanced to the sharp dressed woman behind him. "Harpy."

The woman moved closer to the mob boss, drawing a touch pad from her suit jacket. "Our liaisons and contacts in the southern and eastern regions have reported sightings and movements of him, sir." Angelo took the touch pad from said woman. "And unfortunately, some have said that there might be a possibility of there being an alliance with the Cult of the Undying."

"You heard her." Angelo said to Nevermore. "Now get off your ass and for once in your life, get to work."

"What? The cultists? What the hell is he up to now?!" Nevermore grabbed the touch pad and threw it to his kitchen. The woman named Harpy sighed as she backed away.

"Enough of your tantrums, Nevermore." The mob boss stood up, towering over the people in the room. "Get going."

"Uh, boss?" the thug approached Angelo cautiously. "What should we do about that woman?"

Angelo eyed the thug confusedly. "What?" The thug pointed to Nevermore's room, showing the woman beneath the mess the _Artist_ caused. An incredulous look was plastered on his face, as he eyed Nevermore. "She's still alive?"

"I was in the _middle_ of things, Lucifer." Came the Artist's excuse. "I was about to further appreciate this _fine_ pianist until you came by and dropped the bomb on me."

"Then finish her off so you can get going." Angelo said coldly. The woman inside quivered at his words.

An uncharacteristic groan escaped Nevermore. "I don't like finishing things half-assed, Lucifer. I told you, I was still in the middle of it."

Angelo closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, clearly running out of patience. He turned to the thug behind him. "Get her the hell out of here. I don't want any traces of her of ever being here."

"Yea boss." The thug answered, moving to Nevermore's bedroom.

"Don't make a mess of my room!" Nevermore said jokingly, which was ignored by the thug as he entered the room.

"Harpy, call the rest of the Maulers." Angelo ordered. "And get me out of here."

The woman bowed. "Yes sir." She fished out her phone as she stood aside; giving way for Angelo as he finally left the apartment. Nevermore approached the woman, caressing her cheek with his hand. She slapped the hand away. "Don't touch me."

"_Fiesty_'" he responded with a chuckle.

She pushed him away from her as she waited for an answer. She let out a relieved sigh when she heard a click and a response. "Frosty, I need the Maulers here at Nevermore's apartment. You guys have some cleaning up to do."

A torrent of curses were thrown back at her, no doubt the man on the receiving end did not like the idea. The woman named Harpy sighed. "There are no dead bodies here. But I'm sure there'll be a lot of blood." Another barrage of complaints was returned, sighing again. "Just get it done. One of your Maulers is already here. Angelo's orders."

She hung up the phone and gave the _Artist_ one final glare before leaving the apartment, ready to take their boss to where he needs to be. With only the Mauler in his apartment, Nevermore returned to his bedroom, continuing where he left off before he could leave. The pained grunts of the woman were heard throughout the apartment. The Mauler could only contort his face in disgust as he scoured the apartment, looking for the remains of the woman's clothing.

Finding scraps 'caused him to gurgle a discomforted groan. Looking around, he noticed that there were in fact many blotches and splatters of blood. There really wasn't much left of her clothing, so he gathered what he could find into a plastic bag. Feeling thirsty, he made his way to the Artist's fridge, but what he found inside just disturbed him more. A severed hand surrounded with ice. Its feminine features left little for what the possibilities of the implication.

"Nice, right?" He heard Nevermore state behind him. "It took a bit more effort to get a clean cut, but I say it was worth it. Don't you agree?"

The Mauler didn't grant Nevermore a response and his initial thirst disappeared as a feeling of disgust filled him. He made his way to the bedroom, seeing the now shattered woman, looking more lifeless than before. The only indication that she was still alive was her rising back, as she continued breathing. She looked up at him, a pleading look shining from her eyes. He sighed, wrapping bed's blanket around her body.

"Don't forget to lock the door!" Nevermore said in a sing song voice, leaving the apartment.

When the door closed, leaving the two of them in the apartment, he leaned closer to her, pulling her by her hair. "Look, lady, I might be helping you now. But I need to remind you to never speak of this ever again, or you will pay for the consequences. A'ight?"

The woman could only nod at the threat. The thug nodded himself affirmatively, picking the woman up off the bed. He brought her out and placed her on the sofa, still wrapped in the blanket. Outside in the living room, he could fully make out the stains on the fabric. Stains of blood, mucus, semen, and other things he'd rather not think off. He left her there as he returned to the bedroom, hesitantly cleaning it up.

As time went on, the apartment was soon filled by thugs wearing similar looking outfits. One stood out, wearing blue compared to the brown of others. He was the one commanding them, issuing orders to the rest of the "Maulers" as they cleaned the apartment. An argument broke out among them on how thorough they should be, but as it got rowdier it was soon quelled by the blue thug. As the place got cleaner, one of the thugs took her along as they bathed her in Nevermore's shower. Yet even after that, she still felt dirty, felt used. The Maulers tried getting her out of the shower, but her reluctance to leave it made them cave in, allowing her more time to cleanse herself.

Only when the thug dressed in blue lost his patience was the woman dragged out of the shower, by the man named Frosty himself. Dragging her by her wrist, he threw her back onto the sofa. She was immediately wrapped in a new clean blanket to cover her naked form, as they had thrown the remains of her clothing away. Here she was, sitting on the sofa in an apartment belonging to what was apparently a serial killer, naked and surrounded by a bunch of mobsters that were cleaning her and the apartment up.

"Where'd you find her hand?" The blue thug asked, most likely to the Mauler that was here from the beginning.

"Fridge." Came a flat sounding answer.

"Ugh, that's hers?" she heard another thug ask. "I thought it belonged to someone else."

"Then it should still be fresh." Frosty stated. "Pack it in a tight bag. Don't forget the ice."

"Where are we gonna drop her?" another question was asked.

"This early? Heroes Lane." Frosty answered. "Probably only joggers around this time. Let the good Samaritans handle her from then on out."

A chorus of agreement resounded in the apartment. She flinched and backed away when a pair of hands landed on her shoulder. One of the Maulers approached her, with a brown sack in his hands. He did not falter his steps, as he approached her and wrapped the brown sack around her head. When it was securely tied around her neck, they carried her out of the apartment. Wrapped with just that brown sack and a now wet blanket, she was stuffed in a trunk of what felt like a sedan. Somehow, she felt safer in this confined space, blocked of most of her senses than she was in that apartment. She just tucked herself closer, curling up into a ball as they take her to Heroes Lane.

The ride felt longer than she expected, as she didn't remember much of her own trip to said apartment. It was all a blur. All she could gather was the man named Nevermore stirring countless compliments and appraisals of her and her talents as a pianist. He took her somewhere for a drink, then it was all black. The next thing was a bunch of panicking, screaming and trashing. Just remembering it was causing her to shudder in fear, drawing the lightest of tear from her eye.

The car stopped abruptly, jerking her around the trunk. Within moments, the trunk was opened and she was pulled out, the cool breeze of dawn piercing her skin. She was placed lying down on a bench, and she felt a cold bag placed on her only hand, no doubt holding the severed one. Soon the sounds of engines filled the morning air, as the cars left her all alone on the bench. Left on her lonesome, as the weight of the world was suddenly placed on her shoulders; the tears had replenished itself as she found herself silently sobbing.

She lost track of time on how long she had cried with the only indication of time was the slowly warming air. She felt the bench shift as more weight was added on it, as if someone had joined her on it. She didn't feel any sort of action, until her body was carefully pulled closer to this person, with her head laid on this person's lap. She didn't do anything else but continue crying silently, causing the person's lap to be wet from her tears.

She continued weeping silently as the sun slowly rose. Worry started building up when she heard footsteps around them. When those steps sounded like it was coming closer to them, she wanted with all her might to just run away. But her mind was just too weak. She felt soft hands place itself on her, pulling her up so she would no longer be lying down. The hand went to her neck, untying the sack that covered her head. The sack was quickly pulled off of her, the morning light blinding her.

"'Ey, Guard Captain." She heard a rough but high pitched voice say right beside her. "Brought a friend along?"

When her eyes finally adjusted, she could make out two women standing in front of her. One of them, with a recognizable face and orange tinged hair, was leaning closed to her. The other woman was dressed in light blue and white, looking at her with concern. "She's joining me for a jog." The closer woman said, referring to the woman behind her. "And please, stop calling me Guard Captain, Kardel."

The man beside her giggled, but the woman's face contorted to a serious look. This woman eyed her carefully. "What happened to her?"

The man shrugged at them in an uncaring manner. "Found her on my bench." He said to them.

"Why is she naked, Slithice?" the woman behind asked wearily.

Slithice sighed dejectedly, apparently already knowing the answer. "You can assume the worst here, Mirana."

Mirana gasped, moving to sit beside her on the bench. "My God, are you okay?" she asked, though she wasn't expecting an answer. Mirana's hand searched for hers, but finding only a stump, she almost freaked out. Looking down, she only noticed the cold bag. "Uh, Slithice? The bag…" Mirana said, her voice on the verge of panicking.

Slithcie took the bag from the woman's lap. Opening it, their assumptions were right on the mark as the woman's hand was still inside it. Slithcie grimaced at the sight. She kneeled down before the victim, holding onto her still able hand. "Can you tell me what happened?"

She started openly sobbing, shaking her head at the concerned woman. "C-c…can't…" she voiced out.

"Why can't you tell me?" Slithice continued. "Please, is there anything you need to tell me?"

She continued shaking her head, mostly out of irrational fear. "N-no. Or… the D-d-doombringers… will…" She stopped talking abruptly, but this was enough to spur Slithice's train of thought.

Her eyes squinted in deep thought. "Doombringers… Angelo…" with a sudden gasp, realization kicked in. Slithice's face contorted in anger. "_**Nevermore**_."

Her eyes widened when Slithice uttered the name of the person who had done this to her. "Ah, that creepy bastard. Poor girl." The man beside her commented.

"Mirana, you don't mind us going on a detour, do you?" Slithcie asked as she pulled her phone out of her pocket.

"Not at all." Mirana answered, pulling the victim closer to comfort her.

The woman, wondering what was going on, felt a slight relief at what looked like a ray of hope. "Slardar, meet me at St Aghanim's now. Can you do that?" Slithice said to the other side of the phone. She nodded to herself. "Yes, it's important. Regarding the _Artist_." the phone abruptly got louder, as the person on the other line yelled in anger. "Thanks." Slithice said as she hung up the phone.

"You sure can't leave your life behind, huh, Slithice?" Mirana asked rhetorically.

The man cackled, his mood heavily contrasting with the others. "Once a Guard Captain, always a Guard Captain! Ha Ha!"

Slithice just sighed at him. She turned to the victim, and with the help of Mirana, pulled her up on her feet. The both of them held her carefully. "The City Guards will put you on protective custody. And then you can tell us everything, okay? It'll be alright."

"What makes her so special?" Mirana asked as they walked down their path.

"She's a victim of the _Artist_, Mirana." Slithcie explained. The both of them could feel the woman flinch. "And he **never** leaves a body behind."

"Never?" Mirana replied. "Then why is she still alive?"

"That's what we're going to find out." Slithice said as they helped the woman inside Mirana's car. In a span of a few hours, her entire life had been upturned up and over constantly. From being by herself the night before, dragged to a secluded apartment by a dangerous man, dropped at Heroes Lane with her severed hand, and now at the back of a car as she was escorted to St. Aghanim's.

She cried. But she didn't know for what anymore.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

well, that was a pretty dark chapter. i got inspiration for this when i was in the middle of writing the previous chapter, and i just couldn't not put it into form, you know? plus, we get to delve deeper into the many arcs and the lives of the underground.

also, soon it's gonna be **Nightsilver Tales **1 year anniversary. pretty epic if i do say so myself.  
would i be doing anything special? don't know, maybe. guess it'll be Lanaya centric, since the first chapter was essentially her introduction.  
yeah, you know what? i guess i will make the next chapter Lanaya centric, for the 1 year anniversary.

FUN FACT

Angelo's minions (Harpy, Frosty and the Maulers) are based off of the jungle creeps!

Reviews

**Guest** : no, Weaver is not Noire's father. (**SPOILER ALERT) **Weaver will essentially be a humanoid version of what he is in the game, except he didn't go crazy for power. we'll see him soon, with Ezalor as well. (**END SPOILER**)

**dafuriousbanana** : do you mean Luna and Mirana? i'm sorry, but my plans regarding Luna is that she won't be having any major relationships in here. Mirana has like a tiny crush, but that's it. won't go more than that.


	82. Clandestine Matron

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

On the 6th of August, last year, the first chapter was posted, introducing the main 5 as well as being the official chapter of Lanaya joining them. Now, I have something a little special for her.

* * *

**Clandestine Matron**

"Look, Slardar. Calm down, you're just venting right now." Slithice said to her phone, as she opened her locker.

Lanaya was sitting awkwardly nearby, glancing at their singer as she discussed something involving her previous job. "Slardar, let's be real here. We both knew that we still wouldn't have gotten Nevermore. Angelo just wouldn't let it."

Lanaya could hear the angered response coming from the other line. "What's important is what she told you, okay? She's the only ever person to still be alive after Nevermore had a hand with them. I would ask you to assign your best and purest people. I don't want Angelo's thugs to be even within a _block_ of her."

A tamer response came compared to before, with Slithice sighing after him. "As for what Nevermore's doing now… I'm guessing that it involves the Demon of Kivuli. Don't risk any of your guards. Just hire Gondar to trail him."

A smile formed on Slithice's face, seemingly pleased with something. "Thanks, Slardar. Good luck." She hung up her phone before placing it inside her locker, securely locking it right after

"I thought you were no longer a Guard Captain." Lanaya said teasingly with a smirk.

Slithice chuckled at the part-timer's comment. "I just can't keep my head away from them."

"So… can you share what you were talking about?" Lanaya asked, curious as always.

Slithice laughed, sounding amused. "Nope. You can't pry out things like that out of me." They laughed together, showing that they meant no offense to one another. "Why are you still in here, anyway? Get out and go wait on tables."

Lanaya's laughter softened, coming out as forced. "Yeah, I'm not feeling a bit well. I'll come out as soon as I'm better. Don't worry, hehe."

Slithice crocked an eyebrow, finding the part-timer's excuse odd. But knowing how the coffee shop works and its many secrets and eccentricities, she nodded and smiled. "Alright, I'll tell the others."

"Thanks." Lanaya replied genuinely as Slithice left the break room.

"Please, I know she works here. I'd just like to talk to her." She heard when she stepped closer to the main room. She furrowed her brows, wondering what was going on.

"I'm not gonna call her unless she herself wants to." She heard the barista replied. When Slithice exited the corridor, she saw Luna staring at a woman dressed in yellow with her arms crossed. The barista looked like she was losing her patience.

"Please, I'm her mother. I won't take much of her time." The woman pleaded. Luna wasn't budging.

"She's never said a damn thing about her family. I can only assume, and it's not looking good." Luna told the woman. "I'm wondering how you even found this place."

It didn't take Slithice much to piece the information together. _That's why Lanaya's inside._ "I found an article about this place months ago, and there was a photo of her. Please, I have to speak with her."

"I'm not gonna let you see her unless she herself wants to see you, if you really are her mother." Luna told the woman, unwavering in her stance.

The woman had a defeated look on her face, yet she stuck around with still a tiny ray of hope. "Luna." The three women turned to see the silver haired owner of the coffee shop, smiling disappointingly at the barista. "Back up for a moment, let me handle this." Luna did as instructed, going back to her own affairs. Selemene patted Slithice on her shoulder, ushering the singer to move on. Before heading out, Slithice glanced one last time to Selemene, seeing the tall woman drag Lanaya's mother along with her.

The woman dressed in yellow looked similar to the part-timer in many ways. Dressed more conservatively, she also had a scarf wrapped around her neck and face. The rest of her outfit had black accents on it. The big difference, as of the moment, was that she had a tired, longing look. Defeated and tired. What were those reasons for? That's what Selemene intends on finding out, as she brought them to her office. Without hesitating, she went straight to her own chair, motioning for the mother to take the chair across her table.

The chair had a moment before it was finally seated by the mother of the part-timer, still looking unsure of the situation. She waited for Selemene to start, obvious given their circumstances. "So, Mrs. Aiura, your track record here doesn't seem to hold you in a good light." Selemene stated, scrolling through whatever she had on her computer. "And you didn't exactly leave things on a good mark with your daughter. Why intentions do you have here?"

"It concerns her family." Came the mother's answer, slightly perplexed at Selemene apparently knowing about her.

"Is that so?" Selemene replied skeptically. "I know of your group. Causing havoc on many scientific institutions in the country. Sabotage and intrigue. Really causing a storm, just like the Cult of the Undying."

"We are nothing like them!" She replied in outburst. Her ragged breathing contrasted with Selemene's controlled neutral expression. A few seconds were needed for her to calm down. "We had a vision to uphold."

"And what was that vision you speak of?"

Hesitantly, she continued. "We believed, as a species, that we were advancing too quickly. We were certain that these developments would bring unforeseen consequences. That's why we tried to stop them before."

Selemene tilted her head at the mother, still holding the neutral expression. "You said "had" before…" the mother flinched uncomfortably at her observation. "I'm assuming something changed?"

She sighed as her words were picked apart. "Yes." She answered. "Drastically, for the worse I'm afraid." The woman covered her face with her hands, looking drained. "We have gotten a too, _fanatical_."

"Please, do explain." Selemene responded, sounding a little too sarcastic than she was hoping.

The woman looked onto the table in front of her with a sad look. "Somewhere, people seemed to have forgotten the message we were trying to send. The meaning behind our actions was lost, as people only thought of anarchy. Even my husband."

"How did that happen?" Selemene continued. She felt sorry for the woman, but she wasn't going to relent.

"Huh, I don't know." She replied truthfully. "But the very few of us that noticed this left as quickly as possible."

"So you just left your husband with you anarchists?"

"Please, don't lump me with whatever they are now." The women responded, sounding weak but offended. "We had a vision. They don't. Not anymore." Selemene did not respond, as she waited for the woman to answer her question. With a sigh, she finally did so. "Yes, I did. He's not the same anymore. None of them are."

"Is that why you're here?" Selemene asked. She could see the woman shift uncomfortably. Selemene had all the time in the world to wait for an answer. "Well?"

She sighed, a tear forming on her eye. "Yes." The woman covered her eyes with her hands as tears slowly fell on her face. "And I wanted to apologize, before it's too late."

"Too late for what?"

"Before they come for me." Selemene crocked an eyebrow, wondering the validity of the statement. "I told you, they've changed. I guess they really are not that different from the Cult."

She let the woman wallow on her lonesome as she looked through a file she had on Lanaya. A brief history that the part-timer wrote when she signed up. "It's been almost five years since you've seen her, right?"

The woman nodded, but did not answer. Selemene continued where she left off. "She had her suspicions, but you and your husband really didn't take long to get into contact with your former, shall we say "anarchists"?"

"We left them before to raise a family, to raise Lanaya."

"And it all blew up in your face." Selemene knew her words struck a chord, but she wasn't trying to be subtle. "And you're now trying to make amends?"

The woman nodded again. Selemene, feeling that she had gotten what she needed, stood up. The abrupt motion caused the woman to look at her. Selemene held out her hand, waiting for a response. "Come. Let's see what her response is."

The woman, carefully, accepted Selemene's hand and was lead out the room. Moving across, she opened the door to the break room, showing an anxious looking Lanaya. Mother and daughter stared at each other. Worry, confusion, anxiety and an assortment of emotions were coursing through them heavily. The woman was pushed further in by Selemene as the owner closed the door for them. It took a moment before she sat down herself across Lanaya.

Silence reigned before them, no one sure on how to proceed. She opened her mouth, in hopes of words to come to her but was beaten by Lanaya as her daughter laid her head on the table. "I'm sorry mom." Eyes widened when Lanaya apologized, perplexed when she herself wanted to apologize. "I was a moody, emotional teenager. I ruined everything."

"What?" she responded in disbelief. "No, Naya, no. Don't apologize." She rushed to the Lanaya's side of the table, bringing her to a comforting hug. "No, you were right. I'm the one that's supposed to say sorry."

"Everything's ruined, isn't it?" Lanaya asked as she quivered in her mother's embrace.

"It's not your fault. You were right."

Lanaya looked genuinely confused at those words. "What do you mean?"

Hesitance was clear as day on her mother's face, as she bit her lip with trepidation. Obviously Lanaya would have known about what her group has been up to, so the thought of detailing just how far they descended into madness felt a bit too much for her. But deep down, she knew that Lanaya deserved to know the truth of it all.

"Mom? What happened?" Lanaya called out confusedly.

To set everything straight, she looked into Lanaya's eyes. The part-timer looked worried about the look her mother was giving, finding it uncharacteristic of her aside from that one time she clashed with her parents. She gulped unconsciously. "Naya. About your father…"

And so she started from the very beginning, detailing every single thing that happened ever since the day their family tore apart. How they did in fact return to the group they had left in order to raise Lanaya. How they engaged in these anarchistic movements. How she slowly realized these people had lost sight of what they had in mind before, and how her husband; Lanaya's father, has become one of them. It all cumulated to her being here right now.

When it was all over, silent tears were dripping down Lanaya's face, tears that she didn't even know she was shedding. Her mother was the one to wipe the tears away as Lanaya slowly regained her senses after having her world shaken up. "Why?" was her only weakened response.

Her mother shook her head. "I don't know. I just left as fast as I could."

"But you said they're gonna come after you!" Lanaya hugged her mother as tightly as she could, not wanting to let go. "Mom, what are you gonna do?"

A sad laugh escaped her as she returned Lanaya's hug. "I guess I didn't think that far ahead. I just wanted to see you one last time, if it all does end up badly for me."

"No, no don't say that!" Lanaya clutched her mother as if it was going to be the last time they would see each other. "I'm sure there's something we can do, please!"

Her mother sighed, slowly ushering Lanaya to let her go. The part timer reluctantly returned to her seat, her face still drenched in tears. Her mother grabbed both their hands, grasping it. "Why don't we make up for lost time, hmh?"

A saddened, almost forced smile appeared on Lanaya's face as she tried to wipe the tears off. With a nod, she replied. "Yes."

They spent more of their time together, now instead with Lanaya sharing bits and pieces of what she herself had done ever since she moved to Elze. Her feeling of triumph on passing the entrance exam to Ultimyr. Finding friends upon moving into the dorms. Finding a part time job at this very coffee shop. Even finding someone she herself saw dear to her. The time flew past as quickly for them as they were wrapped up in their own world. When they saw that the clock showed that it was closing to nighttime, a flurry of emotions filled them. Fear, regret, sorrow, but also elation, fulfillment, and peace.

A sudden knock coming from the door caused them to jump in their seats. "Lanaya? You're still in there right?" she heard Mirana call out. "There's someone here that came to see your mother."

Worry was set on Lanaya's face, and she turned to her mother for closure but was only met with a confused look. "What?"

"This isn't them." Her mother replied. Relief washed over Lanaya briefly. They both nodded to each other, standing up together as they left the break room side by side.

Returning back outside, they saw a man dressed in a blood red hoody that covered his eyes sitting on the stool, laughing jovially. Luna however looked as annoyed as ever. "You know, this place could use some alcohol. It will liven it up a bit." He said as he bit into his scone.

Luna groaned and turned to face the two that had joined the room. "Look, she's out. Now get the hell out of here."

The man laughed, clearly enjoying the effect he was having on her. "I'd have thought you'd calm down by now."

"Why are you even here?" Luna asked sounding rather irritated. "I thought the Bloodseekers don't listen to Nyx."

"Just a onetime thing." The man answered. "A favor for what she did for us in the past." He hopped off his stool and approached Lanaya's mother, looking worried. "Alright, miss. Because the Flayed Twins deemed it alright, you'll be staying with the Bloodseekers until Lady Nyx finds a better place to hide you."

Both mother and daughter were confused at what had transpired before them. While her mother was speechless, Lanaya turned to Luna to help fill her in. "Wha… what? What's going on?"

Luna smirked and chuckled at their bewilderment. "Why don't you ask your boss there?"

Hands fell on both their shoulders, as a tall woman approached them from behind. "Called Nyx up for a little help for this. You probably won't be seeing your mother for the mean time though."

Her mother turned to look at Selemene with her shock laden face. "Why? Why would you do this for me?"

A faux-haughty laugh escaped Selemene. "Not for you. For Lanaya. I look after my employees." When gratitude washed over their faces, she continued. "Plus, with how chaotic and anarchistic your people are now, I'm taking extra precautions for Elze."

"You don't really need to do that, 'Mene." Luna commented with a hand on her waist. "You're always so busy, wrapping your head in all of this."

"I can't keep my eyes off of the city and its dark underbelly Luna." Selemene replied with a smile. She pushed Lanaya's mother to the Bloodseeker, who was still waiting. "It's time to say farewell for now to your daughter, Mrs. Aiura. The Bloodseekers aren't the type of people who stay in one spot."

With that said, both mother and daughter looked at each other. Sadness and hope were shared between them, as they both had a comforting smile. Lanaya had no words, only moving to give her mother one more hug. "I'll be fine." Her mother said to her as she returned the hug.

They shared their moment before finally parting ways once more, as the Bloodseeker lead her out into the sports car her brought with him. They waved tenderly as they said their silent goodbyes, while the Bloodseeker himself gave a mock salute to Luna, just to rile her up. In an instant, the car sped up and disappeared.

The shock of it all took a while before it finally registered to Lanaya. Her mind was completely raddled, her breathing slowed to almost a halt. When she heard a soothing tune of a hum pass by her ear, she turned to see Slithice giving her a sympathetic look. Selemene had disappeared as quickly as she appeared. Everyone else except Luna, were busy tending to their duties.

"Go home, Lanaya." Luna spoke up. "I'm sure 'Mene won't mind you taking a few days off."

Lanaya sighed to herself. "How long?" she asked tiredly, feeling mentally drained.

Luna shrugged, followed suit with Slithice nodding. "Never knew how Nyx does things. Way too mysterious than I'd like."

"Just let her and Selemene handle it for now, alright?" Lanaya nodded to Slithice's comforting words. "Now, let's get you packing. You can take the rest of the day off too I'm sure."

Lanaya smiled appreciatively, and despite the rollercoaster of emotions she's been through in the past few hours, she was beyond happy that it had ended on a good note. Now the only thing left to hope for is for this good note to always be the same, for not even she is certain of when the time comes.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

woo! one year! one whole damn year! it's been an amazing ride so far, and i can only go forward! thank you to all of you who have been with me! hope you guys will be there in the future as well!

FUN FACT

Lanaya's mother is called Mrs. Aiura because Lanaya's lore back in DotA referred master as a legendary creature from Aiur (some whole Starcraft easter egg basically)

also, Lanaya's mother dressed in yellow is also a linked to the fact that Lanaya's concept art had her in a yellow and black color, compared to the pink we're seeing now.

that's it for now. hope you guys had a blast reading this!


	83. The Pattern of Time's Weave

**The Pattern of Time's Weave**

High atop the Wailing Mountains, far from any sort of metropolis and isolated within the peaks and forests, there rests a sizable campus, a private educational institution. The one of many branches in this world, serving one specific purpose to the cosmic weave. Not the largest of schools, but still reaching out in comparison. But what appears to be a private school also happens to be something else behind its closed doors.

Inside in one of these specialized classrooms, a collection of young students were exploring their hands in pool of weaved fabrics. Most of them had a tired, bored, and disinterested look on their faces, with only a select few seemed to be putting some effort in what they were tasked at doing. But what was it that they were doing? Watched over by one of their teachers, they were put through a process to find those that share the ability these teachers have. The ability to manipulate the Loom; the fabric of creation. The power to manipulate space and time itself. An ability of great magnitude that, if used without caution and guidance, could have unforeseen repercussions.

That is why this institution (and many others across the world) exists. To find these gifted individuals so they could be properly raised and guided.

One of the students, who had his attention elsewhere, felt an odd tug to his hands. He looked back to the fabric in the pool, and was confused at what he was seeing. Something gold-like appeared out of nowhere at the water-colored fabric, and he couldn't help but draw himself closer to it. He tried to make out what it was, and he noticed some of his classmates that were sitting near him were staring at him, seeing him take such a sudden interest. But when he saw a flash of life, he freaked out and leaped of his chair, landing ungracefully on his back.

Even though they were his own actions, it took him a while to know what had happened. The teacher overseeing them had moved beside him, now standing over him. "What did you see?" the teacher asked, cutting straight to the point.

The student gathered himself before getting off the ground. Standing upright, he faced his teacher, still looking perplexed. "I… um, uh…" he was stuttering with his words, still unable to fully grasp it. "A, family?" he coughed out uncertainly.

The teacher looked at him incredulously, before moving over to the pool his student was using. He brought out the fabric with his own hand, observing it carefully. He nodded, seemingly satisfied before turning to the student. "Keep your mind focused in it, and we will see definite improvements."

The student only nodded, still feeling the trepidation in his body. Between the teacher's mild compliment, another student raised her hand, one who also peered through the fabric weeks before. "Sir, what is it that we're looking at here?"

The teacher turned to the student that asked him the question, but did not responded, as if waiting for her to further explain said question. "I mean, this is an actual world we're touching, right? I thought we weren't supposed to mess with them, but…"

"We understand the circumstances, Kali. That is why this is a world we created, just for this purpose." He explained, earning gasps from some of the students.

"Wait… doesn't that mean, this is all real?" another student asked, sounding perplexed. "That this is all, life?"

The teacher gave a curt nod to them. The previous student looked shocked. "But I thought we're not supposed to dabble with these."

"Yeah, I thought any sort of action we do could disrupt everything. Why are we allowed to do this?" another student butted in.

"It is good that you are all asking these questions." All heads turned to the new voice that entered the room, an older looking man in charge of all of them. "That means you all understand the weight of this responsibility."

All students sat in attention, with the one standing quickly returning to his seat. The teacher inside nodded respectfully at the newest person. "Grand Weaver. We were not expecting you. Are you here to observe?"

"Just passing by. Seems like your students finally got interested in the Loom." The Grand Weaver stated observingly.

"Grand Weaver." The inquisitive student raised her hand with a question in mind. "Did you create this?"

"Yes I did." He answered her. "So you young ones can train yourselves to prepare for what your future entails. Influencing a world created artificially means that no existing world will be affected."

The students still had an apprehensive look on their faces, and though this might be discouraging for most, this was in fact the reaction the teacher and the Grand Weaver were looking for. Only a bare few of the class had shown their affinity with the Loom, yet knowing that they were all cautious of where they were treading was a good sign for the Grand Weaver, as he looked at them all with a pleased smile. His behavior did not go unnoticed by the students.

A different student raised his hand for the Grand Weaver. "Sir, are we all here supposed to continue, in this line of work?"

"Of course not." He answered them. "We do not burden our students with our responsibilities. They'll only become one of us if they choose so."

"Which is why the questions you all are asking here shows great progress." The teacher added; his tone laced with pride. "It fills us all with confidence when we let you all leave these doors."

"What if the person who leaves here ends up messing with the fabric?" another student asked.

"Then we will not hesitate to either lock him out of the Loom, or take away his affinity entirely." Gasps filled the room when the Grand Weaver explained their plans. "To manipulate the Loom is not a task that shall be taken lightly. Those who squander it will be dealt with in kind."

A knock on the door disrupted their little detour. A spry looking man peered inside, looking at the Grand Weaver. "Sir, you have a guest waiting."

"Who?"

"The Keeper, sir." The Grand Weaver sighed when the identity of the guest was mentioned to him. "He is already in your office."

"Very well." He replied, sending the man off. He turned back to the classroom, smiling proudly at them. "Continue with your lessons for the day. You all have a lot to improve."

With that, he left the class to continue its studies, as he made his way through the corridors of the campus towards his office. There was a certain level of dread welling up inside him, as he knew what the Keeper was capable of. The very definition of "never judge a book by its cover." The horror of what he, or specifically _they_, had done in the past to the Weavers still rings fresh within him. It was a simple message that would be forever remembered if the Weavers if would ever stray from their path.

He did not dilly dally, immediately walking inside his office to see the Keeper sitting patiently one his chair, with his feet propped on the table. The elderly looking man waved at the Grand Weaver upon his entrance.

"Skitskurr! Been a while!" Ezalor greeted like an old friend, though the Grand Weaver did not share the sentiment.

"It sure is a surprise seeing you here deep in the Wailing Mountains, Ezalor." Skitskurr said in a flat tone as he approached his table. "I hope the Weavers haven't done anything to incur the wrath of you or your siblings."

"No no, nothing like that." Ezalor replied as she stood up, giving the chair back to Skitskurr. "Although Io and Nessaj wanted me to remind you of what can become of you." The light, threatening warning did not go unnoticed by the Grand Weaver's ears.

"I'm certain they mean well as well." Skitskurr said as he sat down while Ezalor walked around the office. "So, I doubt you're here to put us in our place, so I'll get straight to the point: why are you here?"

Ezalor chuckled in an amused fashion. He stared at on odd looking painting, his back facing the Grand Weaver. "You know of the Architect, right?"

"That ancient one? Yes." Skitskurr replied skeptically. "What of him?"

"He has new plans that he wishes to carry out soon. I have no idea of when he wishes to carry it out though." Ezalor turned to face the Grand Weaver, to find Skitskurr with contorted face of anger. Clearly he did not take the news lightly.

"Does he not know the repercussion of his actions?" Skitskurr asked trough gritted teeth.

Exalor refrained from jesting the angered Weaver as he responded. "I'm very certain that he fully understands the full extent of what he intends on doing. Which is why we are informing you right now before it's too late."

"He should never be allowed to create things anymore!" Skitskurr stood up from his chair, his hands slamming down on his table. "His hands are only capable of destruction! You four should be the one to keep him in line!" Skitskurr said as he pointed accusingly at Ezalor.

"I'll admit that we did let him be on this one." Ezalor responded in an apologetic manner. "We needed his help, and he would only do so if he was allowed to try his plan again."

"Oh yes, I've heard of that. The eruption of Joerlak. The Weavers had a heavy debate on whether we should stop you on that." The Grand Weaver said, reminded of the recent disaster.

"It's a good thing you Weavers opted to not, otherwise I don't think I could stop Nessaj from reminding you of your place." Once again the light threat that bore more weight than.

The disparity between Ezalor's tone and his words sent chills down Skitskurr's spine, being reminded that no matter his affinity with the Loom that he's dealing with a being with another magnitude beyond his scope. He sighed, silently backing down in defeat as he sat back on his chair. "Where is the Architect now?" Skitskurr asked, getting straight to business.

"He, as of this moment, is not on this world." Ezalor replied, moving closer to the Grand Weaver's table. "He most likely is preparing himself for the plans he has set up for himself."

"Then we need to peer through the fabric so we too can prepare for him. We will not be caught off guard again because of him." That statement elicited a pleased smile from the Keeper.

"That is good to hear, Skitskurr." Ezalor said as he moved behind the Grand Weaver's chair, staring out the window. "It would be a shame if you ended up being like your counterpart."

Skitskurr grimaced when Ezalor mentioned him. "My "counterpart" is an insane, power hungry maniac. And he's nothing more than an insect. He doesn't know the costs of his actions, and if it were possible, we would've eradicated him long ago."

With a chuckle of amusement, Ezalor made his way towards the door with his plans completed for the day. "Keeper." He stopped when Skitskurr called out to him. Just in front of the door, he turned to face the Grand Weaver. "Does this, **me** from another plane, know of the existence of you four?"

"He doesn't even have an idea of what we are, Skitskurr." Ezalor answered. "He is one of the more ancient beings in that plane, yet he is blinded by his own ego and god-complex."

"Why have **your** counterparts not done a thing about him?" Skitskurr asked accusingly.

"They are preoccupied by the never ending war there. And we personally would rather not involve ourselves with that conflict. We'd rather focus our efforts here." Ezalor explained. Skitskurr however still had a troubled look on his face. "Anything else you wanted to know?"

"No." the Grand Weaver responded. "Thank you."

"Well then, I guess I'll be on my way. Good day to you, Skitskurr." Ezalor parted before he left the room. A flash of light appeared below the gap of the door, giving Skitskurr a good idea of what happened.

He stayed in his office, contemplating on his next course of action. He'd need to gather his fellow Grand Weavers so they could discuss their plans on how to deal with whatever the Architect intends on doing. A knock on the door disrupted his train of thought, and after a second of surprise, he called out the person to enter.

A small woman entered cautiously, slowly nearing the Grand Weaver's table. "Sir, we have heard back from our emissaries."

_Oh, finally some development._ he thought to himself. "And what did she say?"

"Miss Arachnia has declined the invitation. She does not trust us to leave her daughter in our care." The woman explained.

"Can't expect any less from the Broodmother. Even if the child's adopted." He said to himself. "Is there any other way we can seek her out to reason with her?"

"She said that she'd let our talks continue if someone in charge would come to her."

He sighed, despite already predicting that the Broodmother would go down this route. However, knowing the potential of one of Arachnia's daughter, he relented for the greater good. "Very well. Schedule a meeting with her sometime soon."

"Very well, Grand Weaver."

"And I need every Grand Weaver to gather here." A surprised expression washed over the woman's face. "There is something of dire we need to discuss, and it is better if we do not postpone this."

"Shall I schedule this before or after your meeting with Arachnia, Sir?"

"Before. As fast as possible."

"As you wish, Grand Weaver." The woman bowed to Skitskurr before leaving the room. He felt slightly at ease with the first step being taken. He could only hope that the rest of the Grand Weavers can come down to a sensible solution and response to what they would look over soon.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

finally Weaver is here! that also leaves Viper and Spectre left! (and after a long time of contemplation, i have found a fixed interpretation of Spectre. still on the fence on how Viper would be)

FUN FACT

the idea for Weaver just came to be when i thought what he would be like if he didn't get drunk with power (and wasn't a cockroach)  
the idea of Skitskurr being some sort of principal came from him using young Weavers as his Q ability. also, the first draft of how i thought of the young Weavers was at first seeing them kids in some sort of sweatshop, but decided against it.

anyways, hope you guys had fun reading this!


	84. A Royal Celebration

**A Royal Celebration**

Today is the day. The day sought for by many across the entire nation, for obvious varying reasons between them. Friends and close relatives of the Royal Family were invited, while other more aspiring groups joined for their own selfish reasons. Whatever the case, the tone of the celebration will not be sullied by them. For today was the Crown Prince's 10th birthday.

Held in the magnanimous hall of the Royal Palace that was now filled to the brim, a certain level of joy covered the atmosphere, as the children played with each other, with Prince Leon leading the charge. The adults, barring the few that were looking after said children, were conversing with each other, as some have their own hidden agendas that they needed to accomplish. Luckily for everyone else, these few were drowned by the jolly atmosphere.

Of course, with the Royal Family being involved, a certain barista finds herself roped into this whole occasion. Though unlike the rest of the guests, she was here with some of her coworkers, working the night as she supplied the drinks while they waltz around the floor, offering them to the people. Both Magina and Mortred, dressed in a sharp dark blue dress suit, looked extremely worn out. Mortred even more so, as the baker was not accustomed to these types of work.

Mirana however still had her radiant smile that she showed to everyone, stirring the feelings of some of the male adults that glimpsed her way. Unlike Magina and Mortred however, she was dressed in an elegant white backless dress that accentuated her figure. Much to Luna's chagrin, she too was also wearing a similar dress, though only reaching just above her knees and colored in blue, contrasting with the manager. Her deep frown clashed with Mirana's smile, yet somehow it too stirred the men when they glanced her way. She would scare them off with her glare before returning to her work.

"Why do I have to wear a dress?" She complained rhetorically.

Mirana, feeling mischievous, couldn't help but appear by the barista's side. "I'm sure so the two of us can lighten the party with our charm."

"This is a child's birthday party." Luna replied, sounding unamused. "Why would we ever wear these kinds of things?"

"We at least you two look great." Elodie complimented as she sat herself on the stool to Luna's bar. A distressed Shendel appeared not too long after. Both sisters were dressed for the occasion, unlike them.

"Luna, do you have any alcohol?" Shendel asked. Luna's grimacing stare was enough of an answer for her, as she groaned and planted her face on the counter.

"I'll go out and get you some wine, Shen. Hold up for a moment." Mirana offered, leaving the two sisters with Luna.

"So why the hell are you two here?" Luna asked, earning a groan from the older sister.

"Our sister received an invitation to this party. She wanted us be here in her stead." Elodie replied for Shendel. An understanding hum and nod was given to them by Luna.

Mortred appeared next to them, taking one of the empty stools. "You guys sure are _chanceux_ that you don't have to work right now." She said, giving off an exhausted vibe. She looked over to Luna. "Hey, wanna switch clothes?"

The barista looked at Mortred's foroked at Mortred's form, eyeing the baker's apparel, clearly thinking it over. A disappointed sigh escaped her before she responded. "They won't fit me."

Mortred responded with a pleased chuckle herself. "Yeah, _unfortunately_." she ckackled earnestly, ignoring the glare Luna was giving her.

"Speaking of "working right now"…" Magina opened as he joined them on Luna's side of the bar. "where's Lanaya? Isn't she supposed to be here with us?"

"She **_is_** here, Magi." Mirana replied for them as she returned with the wine for Shendel. She wasted no time in placing it in front of the waitress. "She's here as a guest, like these two."

A bewildered look covered Magina's face at the explanation. "What? How? She doesn't know anybody in the Royal Family, does she?"

Both Mirana and Luna laughed; Luna letting out more of a chuckle compared to the light giggle of Mirana's; amused by Magina's exaggerated response. "She sure doesn't, Magi." Luna answered for the two. "But her _boyfriend_ does."

Everyone's eyes perked up at this revelation. "Dr. Rubick knows the Royal Family?"

Both older women shrugged, with a wry smile on their faces. "That's what Lanaya told us last night." Mirana answered, leaning herself onto the bar. "She should be somewhere around here."

"Yeah, her and Rubick dropped by before the crowd got this big." Luna added. She laughed all of a sudden, startling them. "Speak of the devil…"

"You guys talking about me?" All heads turned to none other than the part-timer, as she walked towards them. A few of them were stunned to say the least.

Magina had his jaw drop while Mortred let out a wolf whistle as they admired their friend in her dress. A beautiful combination of pink and green with a long scarf that covered her mouth and shoulders. A light blush formed on her cheeks thanks to the amount of attention she was receiving from her coworkers.

Magina, after coming back to his senses, turned to the rest. "This is a kid's birthday party, right?" laughter was shared by the group, including Lanaya as she joined them at the bar. "Where'd you get that dress anyway?"

"The Queen." She answered.

"Huh?" replied Magina confusedly.

"Yeah, she dropped by Rubick's home because she wanted him to have a new suit for the party. I was around, so she bought me a dress too." The part-timer explained.

A chorus of wows echoed around them, in awe of what had happened to Lanaya. Mortred leaned herself closer to Lanaya, eager to find out more. "Who is Dr. Rubick to them, anyway?"

"He delivered Prince Leon and Princess Nikka. He's also their pediatrician." Lanaya further elaborated.

"Wow, I thought he was some other kind of _docteur_." Mortred pondered.

"He is and he isn't." Lanaya responded. "He does whatever he wants, and being one of the best doctors, the staff lets him do just that."

Mirana leaned closer with a smirk on her face. "Being the son of Aghanim also helps." She straightened herself when everyone looked satisfied with the reasoning. "Alright you two, get back to work. You're not getting paid to loiter."

Tired sighs were replied by Mortred and Magina, as they slowly got off the stool and made their way back to the crowd, carrying a few of the drinks Luna made. A short time later Shendel also stood up, exclaiming that she wanted to use the restroom. Not wanting to be separated from her sister, Elodie followed behind Shendel's footsteps.

With now just the three of them, Lanaya turned to her older coworkers. "How come Slithice's not here?"

"She's babysitting Puck for the princess here." Luna replied before said "princess" could. "Shame. She would've lightened the place up with her singing."

"It was Puck that wanted to hang out with Slithice. I had nothing to do with this." Mirana retorted, pouting in a cutesy sort of way. Luna chuckled in response, pulling the manager along with her as they laughed together in front of the part-timer. Lanaya just stared at the two, marveled at the change in dynamic between them.

"Haa. Hm, anyways," Mirana turned to face Lanaya with a smirk on her face. "why don't you get Rubick here? You sure look lonely by yourself right now."

The part-timer chuckled at the idea. "He's probably looking for me right now. Shouldn't take too long though, I'm sure he can figure it out."

"Aunt Luna." All three of them centered their attention downward onto the little girl that appeared before them, dressed elegantly as befitting of one from the Royal Family. She shined a bright smile at Luna.

Luna responded in kind with her own warm smile, leaning closer to the child and pulling her off the ground and onto the counter. "Hey kid. Not hanging out with your brother?"

Little Nikka shook her head, her smile turning to a pout. Mirana giggled at the little Monarch's expression. "No. He's boring."

"So you came here to hang out with your Aunt Luna?" Nikka nodded furiously, leaning her head onto Luna's chest. The barista looked up at the approaching sharp dressed man, nodding at him. "I'll look after her, don't worry."

The bodyguard nodded. "Yes ma'am." He replied, leaving the princess with the barista.

"Do you want a drink?" Luna asked the princess, who nodded in response. With a smile of her own, Luna placed Nikka on the stool next to Lanaya, before moving to fix something for the young monarch.

"Wow, I never saw Luna enter "Aunt Mode" before." Lanaya said observantly, before glancing at Nikka beside her.

"It's endearing to see." Mirana commented. She planted her chin on her elbows as she leaned herself on the bar. "Just like the little princess here!" she said in a delightful glee, causing Nikka to giggle at the compliment.

Lanaya draped her arm around the princess' shoulder, drawing her closer. "Do you like Aunt Luna?" she asked.

"Mhm!" Nikka nodded vigorously with a wide smile on her face. "She's my favorite aunt!"

"I'm sure you're her favorite niece as well." Mirana said, pinching Nikka's cheek. The little Monarch shifted on the stool, trying to free herself from the pinch. When Mirana released the Monarch's cheek, Nikka pouted in an exaggerated manner, causing the women around her to laugh.

Amidst the laughter, Lanaya leaned in closer to Mirana, moving slightly farther from Nikka. "Hey, Luna and the Queen aren't related, are they?" she whispered.

Mirana let out a snort unbecoming of her appearance. "No, no. Not even close. Haha, what made you say that?"

Lanaya shrugged, though she shifted her scarf to cover her cheeks. "It was just a simple question. I mean, what if?"

"We were raised at the same orphanage, along with Tresdin." Luna commented as she returned with Nikka's drink. When she glanced at the part-timer, she rolled her eyes when she saw Lanaya's widened eyes. "Oh don't look at me like that. It's not a big deal."

"It explains a **lot** about your relationship with the Queen, though." Lanaya said, though mostly to herself as she looked down in thought.

The little Monarch could only stare confusedly at the part-timer's behavior amidst the sips she was taking from her drink. This response did not go unnoticed by the older two, as they laughed at the sight before them. This dynamic was held by them, with Mirana and Lanaya humoring the princess as Luna carried on with her work. It wasn't long till a certain green clad masked doctor joined them, sitting himself beside the part-timer. Nikka was particularly happy at the doctor's arrival, with said doctor also entertaining the little monarch in his own peculiar way.

Through this, most of them failed to realize a certain commander joining, with Luna chuckling at said commander's appearance. "Why do you always look like shit every time I see you?"

Mirana and Lanaya looked up from the monarch while Rubick kept his attention on Nikka, glancing over to a stressed out Tresdin. "You're still not serving any alcohol, are you?"

Luna shook her head. "That's not why I was hired." She responded, lightly punching Tresdin's shoulder.

"Then I'll have whatever." Tresdin said, as she let her arms slump to her sides. When she felt a light tug on her arm, she turned to face the little Monarch. "Hey there Rascal. Away from the party?"

Nikka, with a smile, hugged Tresdin's arm, while offering the commander her own drink. "Why are you not with your brother? It's his birthday after all." Tresdin asked, returning the drink back to the princess.

"I'm wonde_r_ing myself why you'_r_e not with the C_r_own P_ri_nce, Commande_r_." Rubick interjected, earning a groan from the Commander. "I hea_r_d he's been looking fo_r_ you."

"Yes Doctor. He's been wanting me to challenge someone to a duel." She heard Luna chuckle in front of her. "The kid's a wonder, but he's so hell-bent on seeing me fight with people."

"Oh, so it's not out of the o_r_dina_r_y for him to want you to have this "duel" with me?" Rubick added.

A concerned look flashed on Lanaya's face. "Oh please don't take part." She said to him. "I don't want to see you get hurt."

"Oh, Lanaya. I'm not as f_r_ail as you think I am." He said to reassure her.

Tresdin meanwhile did not look pleased. "Oh, don't tell me you're looking forward to it?"

"Have you seen him? He looks forward to any sort of challenges." Luna added, earning a hearty chuckle from the doctor and a glare from her younger coworker.

"Don't encourage him, Luna. He's not you or the Commander." Lanaya complained, causing the doctor and the barista to laugh jovially. Even Mirana and Nikka joined with their lighter laughter.

Tresdin however did not share the sentiment. With the drink Luna prepared in hand, she stood up and with a pat of Nikka's head, left the bar.

"Aunt Tres…" Nikka called out sadly.

"Don't worry kid. She's just tired is all." Luna said, comforting the saddened princess. "This is not the type of thing she'd be in."

Nikka turned to Luna, her face contorted in confusion. "Why?" came her simple response.

"Adults can be like that dear." Mirana interjected, pinching Nikka's cheek again, causing the little Monarch to squirm. "We are a complicated bunch."

"Nikka! There you are!" a taller boy appeared beside them, jumping onto the stool beside Nikka. "Have you seen Aunt Tres? I've been looking for her!"

Nikka turned to the two oldest women, looking for assurance. The comforting smiles they gave her allowed her to come to an answer, as she turned back to her brother. "She went out for air."

Prince Leon smiled genuinely, giving his younger sister a quick hug. "Thanks sis!" he jumped off the stool and was about to make a run for it before his gaze landed on Rubick. "Doctor! Don't run away yet!"

"I'm not going anywhe_r_e, Leon." Rubick replied, followed by his deep laughter.

The Crown Prince left the bar in a brisk, on the run to search for his own favorite aunt. Rubick, as if on a high, couldn't control the laughter coming from his gut. Lanaya tried calming down the doctor, but even she couldn't stop herself from Rubick's infectious laughter. Nikka tilted her head at the couple's odd behavior, and turned to Luna for answers. The barista replied with a smile of her own, leading to a giggling frenzy from the little Monarch.

"And you said you wouldn't enjoy the night." Mirana said teasingly to Luna.

The barista rolled her eyes, nudging the manager with her shoulder. "It's still work. But the tiny princess here is what makes it all better." Nikka flashed a toothy smile to them, thanks to the compliment she got. And for now, the Crown Prince's birthday party continues on towards the night.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

whew, a late one here. gotta be honest, i'm kinda disappointed with how i ended this chapter. i started on a high note, yet because i wasn't in my full creative capacity, i couldn't put my all to it. next week, there won't be a new chapter. hopefully i can gather myself so the next chapter can be up to my standards.

FUN FACT

for those curious, the whole dynamic i created between Luna, Akasha and Tresdin came about like this:  
Luna and QoP share the same voice actress.  
QoP has a rival response for LC.  
LC has a rival response for Luna while having an ally response for QoP.  
and from that, a history between the three of them was formed.

well, with that out of the way, hope you guys had a blast reading this! thanks again and don't forget to review!


	85. Dispersing Reality

**Dispersing Reality**

Lina walked side by side with her sister down the hall of the Radiant Dorms, limping all the way with a can of cold espresso in her hand. At times she would bump shoulders with Rylai, no doubt thanks to her not yet fully healed leg. The both of them, despite this, were content with the silence they held just so they could still adjust their minds and bodies to the breaking dawn. It was an anomaly in itself that they were awake at this hour, as the sisters weren't known for being morning people (though the same could be said with most of the dorm inhabitants, evident from the quiet and lonely halls).

They dropped by the in-house cafeteria, eager to proclaim whatever breakfasts was made available that morning. Lina got herself a bowl of warm curry and a cup of coffee, with her cold espresso next to it, while Rylai acquired a plate of honey covered waffles with a full mug of milk. Peculiarly, she had cubes of ice added to her waffles that did not go unnoticed by her redheaded sister, whose face cringed at the sight.

They made their way out and towards one of the many common rooms so they could enjoy their breakfasts in solitude. They were disappointed when they found it not to be empty like they hoped, but they were more surprised by the fact that a certain trollish fiend was lazing about, flipping through the morning channels.

"Hey Snowflake. Charcoal. Sure are up early." He called out, not bothering to even glance at them with his eyes locked on the TV.

The sisters sighed and shook their heads as they made their way to an available table in the room. Neither of them had the energy to deal with Jah'rakal. "Same goes for you." Lina mentioned as she started on her breakfast.

He chuckled at the response that was given to him. "You kidding? I'm always up early. The more hours I'm awake, the more time I get to fuck with people."

"Of course _that's_ your answer." Rylai commented, her eyelids drooping as she almost fell asleep if it weren't for Lina's playful slap on her cheek.

"So you're always up early, huh? Never knew that." Lina continued, now slightly more awake thanks to the now empty can of espresso. She now exchanged it with the cup of coffee she procured before. "Is it because of Yurnero?"

Jah'rakal cackled like a madman at the accusation. "Surprised Ol' Masky himself when I woke up before him in freshman year."

"Is that why he…" a pause came for an accompanying yawn. "brings you along his morning exercises?" Rylai asked.

Jah'rakal sighed tiredly, shaking his head as if the notion was the greatest of sins to him. "Good thing he's mostly meditating nowadays. And pssshhh. As if he needs to teach me a thing or two about brawls."

"No matter how good you think you are, you're still nowhere as strong as Luna." Lina retorted. Both sisters had widening grins when Jah'rakal visibly shivered.

"That woman is inhuman. Only a demigod could hope to face her." Jah'rakal said with what sounded like genuine fear. Rylai couldn't stifle the giggle she was keeping back at the sight.

"There's something about her that only Lanaya knows." All eyes turned to the person who had just entered the room, not surprised to see Yurnero holding a tray of his own, if light, selection. Surprising to the sisters, however, was Nortrom following behind, with a single cup of juice in his hand.

"Where is Lanaya, anyway?" Nortrom voiced for the rest of them. His gaze fell where the sisters sat. Specifically, the table they were using. "She'd be there right about now."

Jah'rakal shrugged, as though the question was aimed at him. "I'unno. But Snowflake and Charcoal sure are a nice surprise."

"Stop calling us that!" Rylai cried out loudly, though Lina seemed too tired to care to retort. She knew full well that responding like that would only fuel their trollish friend, evident from the deep cackle that now filled the room.

"It is odd to see you two awake this early though." Yurnero said, taking an empty seat on the table they were using. Nortrom followed by taking the spot across him, as they now flanked the sisters.

"What brought this chance?" Nortrom asked, sipping the sweet and sour juice in his hand.

While Rylai groaned tiredly, Lina couldn't suppress the grin that was forming on her face. "Well… little _Snowflake_ here…" Rylai cried out betrayal on her sister, pummeling Lina's shoulder with her weak and tired fists. "has to wake up early for an appointment with that old lady friend of hers. And you all obviously know, she never wakes up before seven unless it's Frostivus."

"So you're forced to wake up early yourself to help her off the bed." Nortrom said, finishing the sentence himself. All three men in the room chuckled at once. "And we all know how much you need your beauty sleep on the weekends."

The grin disappeared from Lina's face at the insinuation, despite the semblance of truth behind it. "Hey, I was still disabled then. It was fine for me to rest a whole day."

The sofa shook when Jah'rakal leaped off of it, landing just shy of the table. "We never said it wasn't, Charcoal." Now it was Rylai's turn to laugh at her sister thanks to Jah'rakal's nickname for them.

The common room erupted in laughter filled by the men first, before more feminine sounds joined them. It wasn't everyday that they could hang out as a group this early in the morning on the weekends, so they all welcomed it with open arms, relishing this peculiar feeling they hardly could feel. With their minds not preoccupied on any specific topic at that moment, the all noticed as the door slowly opened, showing a disheveled looking waitress entering the room, smiling at them with a bag of fast food.

"Hey guys. Wow, this room is filled today." She commented as she joined them on the table. But she seemed ignorant of the silence that replaced the laughter, as her friends subtly (or for one, overtly) observed her.

For one, she still wore the gown she left in last night, when the doctor had come to pick her up for whatever occasion he was invited to. The scarf she wore to compliment it was also nowhere to be seen, as she entered the room with only the fast food and her wallet. Yurnero and Lina, sitting closest to her, noticed a peculiar scent permeating from her that only Lina knew of, her eyes widening at what Lanaya had done the night before. Her untidy hair and lack of makeup was what lead to the three males to finally come to the same conclusion Lina had before them.

Rylai seemed to be the only one not forming the dots, staring confusedly at the smirks her friends had on their faces. "What? What happened?"

Jah'rakal was the first to respond, jumping over the table to slap Lanaya's back. "Alright! Finally scored some, huh?" He held his hand open, waiting for Lanaya to respond.

Lanaya rolled her eyes, not expecting anything less from the resident troll. However, feeling generous, she reciprocated, giving the high-five he wanted. "I wouldn't use the word "scored", but yeah." She said, before biting into the burger she had brought.

"Oh, you sly minx." Lina said with her own smirk, crossing her arms over her chest, rolling her own eyes when Rylai finally caught on.

"You and Dr. Rubick?! Finally?!" the blonde sister asked excitedly, standing up from her chair.

"Damn, Snowflake. Calm down, it's not like she lost her virginity." Jah'rakal said, causing said blonde to shrink back to her seat, a blush of red forming on her cheeks.

"So I take it things are getting serious with you and the doctor?" Nortrom asked, just to keep the topic flowing.

A somewhat relieved expression washed over Lanaya. "I hope so. I've never been in a relationship like this before."

"I'm sure this is a first for the doctor too." Yurnero said, patting Lanaya on her shoulder. "Best wishes."

"Thanks guys. Means a lot to me." Lanaya told them with genuine appreciation. Before returning to her burger, she glanced to Jah'rakal with a hopeful look on her eyes. "Hey, Jah, can you?"

The man in question groaned, shaking his head in disappointment. "The news? Jeez, you never change." He said as he hovered back to the sofa, changing the channel for the newly arrived Lanaya.

As the round of them turned to light chatter, with Lanaya answering the many queries she no doubt was subjected to, thanks to what had happened, she also kept her eyes on the TV. Ever the curious person she was, if she couldn't find something to learn about the people around her, she'd usually turn to the second most reliable source; news channels. Of course, she was careful in not taking in random nonsense that news agencies would at times report on.

A particular segment now landed on a ruined factory, caused by either some sort of fire or an all out explosion. "Huh, that's somewhere east of the continent." Jah'rakal commented, surprising Lanaya as he too watched the segment.

His offhand comment was enough to spark interest in everybody else, more so from the idea that their resident troll was also watching the news. Nortrom and Lina joined the troll on the sofa, leaving Lanaya, Yurnero and Rylai on the table, as they finished their breakfasts.

"_Here we are at the remains of the closed Tarrasque Factory that was set ablaze this dawn. Local authorities are still investigating whether this was the work of arson, or a malfunction of the distressing state of these abandoned machinery._"

The TV was suddenly shut off by the redhead. No one saw fit to argue with it, even Lanaya, despite how much she wanted to watch. They knew she did not have a particularly good past regarding a similar experience, so they all held their tongue. It came to no one's surprise when she turned to face them, with a forced smile as she asked them about a random topic that she would've came up on the spot.

As Lanaya was roped in to the conversation, she couldn't help but wonder what happened to that factory. There was a gut feeling inside of her, telling her that it was something else entirely.

_The night before, at the abandoned Tarrasque Factory_

A nondescript black van parked itself in the empty compound in front of the abandoned factory, its engines and lights dying out. The side door opened, revealing a masked woman in a black suit shuffling her legs out while she busied herself with her blunderbuss. The driver's seat opened a moment later, a helmeted man exiting to join the woman, dressed in the same garb as her only distinguished by the purple accents on his.

"Z.E.U.S., what can you tell us about this place?" Agent Void asked to the van.

"_The Tarrasque Factory was one of many factories focused on creating powerful batteries for vehicles of ma-_"

"Not that, damn it." Void stopped before the AI could go further down. "I meant about it now."

"_You should've specified that, **Fool!**_" Agent Gorgon chuckled at Void's distressed look. "_Only surges of electricity is visible from my eyes, constantly moving about the factory floors. One specific room seemed to be digitally connected to them, also having the highest spike of electricity. Can't see anything else inside it, walled off for even my eyes._"

"From what information we've gathered of her, it's no surprissse how cautiousss she isss." Gorgon said, standing up with her blunderbuss holstered to her hip. "Thessse "surgesss of electricity" should be the machinationsss she created. She'd have no need of security camerasss that can be turned againssst her."

Void shook his head, not particularly looking forward to going in blind. "You sure you can't get anything more out of it?"

"_None whatsoever. This woman seemed to have many protocols to deflect my intrusion. If we proceed with our initial plan, perhaps I can be upgraded._"

"Only **if**. Forcing her isss still not part of the plan. And I'd rather not we resssort to that." Gorgon added right after the AI.

Void tightened the grenade-filled bandolier he holstered around his chest. "I'll handle it if you're reluctant. Probably shove my mace to her face." He said, holding said mace in his hand.

"Now now. No need to get so hasty." Gorgon loaded her blunderbuss, with a determined look behind her mask. Taking the safety off, she turned to her partner. "Ready to start ticking?"

Void chukled, his voice echoing in the night. "Inexorable." With the simple reply, he set off charging straight to the massive factory doors.

Holding a grenade at the ready in his hand, the doors flew open from one strike of his massive mace, the hinges flinging off and finding himself almost crushed by the fall. When the dust settled, he could immediately make out purple glowing orbs within the darkness, glaring maliciously at him. Without hesitation, the sources of these orbs flew out and circled him, closing their distance. Void smirked, not even the slightest bit worried, as the grenade in his hand finally triggered. The entire room was engulfed in its paralytic cloud, allowing Void to strike down these machinations with ease.

When the clouds finally disperse, Gorgon followed behind him, dispatching anything still standing after Void's assault. One mechanical construct was still alive, albeit heavily damaged by their entrance. It stood on its last leg, and an ominous purple light emanated it. A menacing glow shined from its last eye.

"**¡͔̻͚ͤ̋̎ͪ̾̏ͦ̄̓s͚̲̺̫̤͍̑ͨ̓ɹ̺̂̌͊̓̈́ͬ̈́ǝ̘̖̙̻̹̺͆̿̌͋̉ṕ̤͉̩̲̗͔̬̻̓ͫ͌ͥͤ̊n͓̖͕̿̈́̇͗ͩ̋ɹ̹͈̲̗̭̇ͤͧ̚ʇ̰̼̺ͪ͆͋̊u͍͓̤̥̯͈̘͐̅͌ͦᴉ͉͙̙̥̺̣͗͆̃ ̤̅ͪ̒̎ͬ̇ǝ͖̝̭͕̝̰ͬ̋͊ͅu̯͉̅̈̌̉͐o͉̮̻̲͖̥͒̔͊ƃ̭̝̗̹̠̳̩̌̅͊ͧͮǝ̪̲̮̘̘ͦ͒͗̑q̳̟̃̇̃̂ͭ̽ͥͫ**" the robotic form cried out in anger and despair. "**¡̛͢ ¡͕̖͓̪͇͈̻͈̯̈ͥǝ͚̫̻̳̂́ͩ͒̄ͪ̐̂ɯ̖̆͊͆ͅ ̟̟͓͔̹͔̐́͆͌̋͑͑͂ǝ͍̪̪͓͖́͒̆̏̿͌ʞ̠͎ͯ̇͆̑ɐ̗̻͇̓̈̽̐̀̇ʇ͇̩͊ ͓̭̥̥̯̘͔́́̈́͊ʇ͖̭̫͈̯͎̫̋̅̉͌͑͌ȍ̻͕͓͇̦̼ͩ̾̄̾̅̏͛ͥȗ͙̪͚̺̰ ̝̜͕͙́̅ͦ͛̐ľ̻͙̫͍̮̬͛̽̒ͯ̈͛͊ͅl͖͉͙̭͖̊͋̇̂ᴉ̙͔̼͒ͪͭ̈̿͌ͦ̚ͅʍ̤̠̟̬̫̌̓̒̉ͩ͊̈́ͣ͆ ̣͔̹̎̑ͪ̀ͬͥ͒ͬͪn̮͓̙̈́͋ͮo̠ͭ̓͂ͩͭͬ̔ͣʎ͙̘͔̟̯̘ͪ̎̄**"

At then, the mechanical figure finally expired, crumbling onto the ground. Void was scratching his ear from the sudden wail that surprised them. He turned to his part, with still a strained look. "You understood that?"

She patted her shorter partner on the back. "A little bit. Don't know if it'sss really her accent or the speaker she usssed for thessse, thingsss…"

They surveyed the area that they decimated, now littered with the mechanical remains of the robots that defended the factory. Void crouched down, inspecting them closely with his free hand. "Wow, synthetic skin. That's a lot of effort for things so disposable."

"And the tech she hasss for thessse isn't something you'd get off the street." Gorgon added, prodding the scraps with her blunderbuss. "She either has contactsss in high placesss, or managed to scrounge them from the many escapadesss she sent her machinationsss on."

"And she's bound to have more of them." Void said as he stood himself up. "She probably has them crawling this entire factory, and that's not counting the ones she has stashed across the world."

"Expected no lesssss from her." Gorgon reloaded her blunderbuss. "Let'sss move. We have no time to spare."

Void nodded and marched forward, leading the two of them deeper. They took their time in each massive factory floor, knowing that the numbers were against them. After each room cleared, they advanced deeper and higher, where the robotic army that dwindled became harder and stronger. Agent Gorgon made a passing thought that they functioned in some form of hive mind, with Void adding that with the fewer of these that were left, it allowed their objective to control them better.

"Which probably means it's gonna get tougher the closer we are to where she is." He closed off, pulling his mace free from the robot he struck.

"**¡̱͇̹̹̭̝̰͎̦͐̏͌ǝ͉̲͓̪̲̹ͧ̇͛̿͆͛̄̚q̰͚̬̤̜͈̭ͫ͋ ̟͕̖ͫ̏̆ͦ̒ͪ̂ǝ̪͙͓̙̀̈́͊̊͒͒ͣ͒ɯ̭̯̟̩ͪ̅̽̒̄̉̍ ̩̫̇̆ͧ̎ǝ̘̟͖͉͍̺̖ͩͮ̇ͩ̉̓͑ʌͮ̊ͅɐ͚̦̥̀̑̽ͯǝ̼̫͓̍̚l͇̝͎̻̘͌ͤ̂̆̏ͩͫ̂**" a dying robot cried out before the sparks of life left it, with most of its torso gone thanks to Gorgon.

"Well then we better make thisss quick." She withstood a harsh blow two of the robots, striking her on the front and back of her abdomen. She swung her blunderbuss in front hard and fast, crushing the robot's head, before turning behind from the momentum. Another blast from her blunderbuss blew the robot apart from such a close distance. "The harder they put up a fight, the longer it'll take for usss to finish this mission."

Void nodded, agreeing with the urgency. "Yes yes, Time is of the essence."

"You take the upper catwalk, Void. I'll hold it up down here." Gorgon ordered, advancing slowly to face the remaining robots head on.

Void looked up, seeing many eyes staring down on Gorgon, as if ready to strike. He threw another one of his grenades at them before they could pounce, so as to allow him the time to move up the catwalk. He succeeded in becoming a new target for these malicious machinations, emerging as the prioritized threat. He was quick to evade the needle-like projectiles that were fired at him, but a few still managed to hit his shoulder and helmet. The left side of his vision was nothing but static now, leaving him to rely on the lack of peripheral vision. But he was undeterred. He retaliated with his own strike, his mace contacting the blades the robots used. He was determined to finish this mission as fast as possible, and a couple of troublesome robots weren't going to slow him down.

Meanwhile on the factory floor, Gorgon dispatched the raging mob with ease. But she found it becoming more difficult with each blow machine. They became tougher, smarter, and more dangerous as their numbers dwindled. She was enjoying this. She hardly, if ever, could put her own skills to the test. So this whole night was exhilarating for her. She knew that her body armor was deteriorating as the she takes the blows they were giving her, so she responded eagerly.

"_This next corridor will be the last thing separating you and the room you two are heading. There are three separate electrical surges inside, and nowhere else in the factory._" Z.E.U.S. reported.

"This is gonna be a handful." Void said as he joined Gorgon in front of the corridor doors.

Gorgon smiled behind her mask, her hand comforting her colleague as she nudged his shoulder . "Don't worry Void. We've got th-"

The doors flew out, blown across the room and almost striking them in the process. Void had to strike the door directly with his mace as it was flying at where he stood while it barely scraped Gorgon, but another thing preoccupied her as she was taken off the ground. Void saw the robot taking her to the air, but he quickly turned his attention back, realizing that one would be on him. With quick agility, his mace guarded him from a blade that would have nicked him.

"**¡̼̩̲̔̋̊ǝ̪͔̱̞ͨ͒̔ᴉ͉̹̣̥̩͇̼͋̏͊ͧ̉̐̈̐ͮͅp̪̠ͪ͂ ̬͎̖̜̻͈̚ɹ̼͙̬̞̜̌o̟̖̦̲̤ͣ̒̓̏̔̊̈́̊ ̗̫̩͖͚̻ͧͩǝ̖͖͕̳̳͈̬̫͑̉ͯͪͭͅʌ̦̗̰̺̞ͣ̏ͩͮ̋̓̇̾ɐ̱̳̪͉͗̑ͬ͌̈͌ͅǝ͎͉̝̀̄̐̃̓̄́ͤl̼̺ͣͣ̽͒͗͛ͯ͌͒ ̘͚͚̮͈͕̇ͦ͂̂ͬ̓͒ɹ̰̝̩̠̗͚ͨ͒͒ǝ̖̪̞̱ͪ͑ɥ̲̮͈ͮ̂ʇ͔̘̳̖ͧ̅̿̑̔̌͒̊ᴉ͔̱̈́̓ǝ̻͔͉ͮ͊ͮ̎ ̝̫̂̐̂̿̌̒ͥͧ̋l͈͚͎͓͖̋͆̊͗ͣ̾ͅl͍̉̃̋̓ᴉ͈͇̘̙̜̜͔̮̌͋̓ͯʍ̲̼͛͂ ̥̫̙̫̄̉̈̍ͣͅn̘̫͕̜̙̫̠͒͗ͬͩ̽̈ͥͦö̻̘̞̜̗̳̖̋͒͆̾ͅʎ̹̖̈**" the robots yelled out, filling the now empty room with their cries.

"Take yoursss out while I focus on mine!" Gorgon managed to say as she was flung about from catwalk to catwalk.

He nodded amidst the thrashing and steel breaking above him; he backed away from the synthetic foe that was ready to strike him. The machination cried out, its wail could strike fear like that of a wraith. He smirked inside his helmet; this woman knew how to make her constructs terrifying, and they way she maneuvered them inside this abandoned factory was a testament of how she cleverly took advantage of it. Like wailing banshees in the night, they could sow terror to those who would gaze their eyes on their malevolent forms.

With a cry, he swung his own fist so as to backhand the robot on its face. It caught it with its free hand, and struck its blade through his forearm. But he anticipated this, pushing his arm farther inward and using the momentum to bring the robot beneath him. He swung his mace onto its head. It wailed back, wanting to strike at him but he held his wounded arm against it, and swung again. If one were to look at him, they'd see a madman, using the most barbaric way of disposing his foe. Crude, he'll admit, but for him it gets the job done, and that's all that matters.

As Agent Void continued bashing the robot that's locked onto him, Gorgon managed to shake herself off of the flying robot that was now chasing her. It was too fast for her, evading the shots from her blunderbuss despite how big an area it covers with each shell. Her heavy armor didn't allow her the maneuverability Void has, but at least she could shake off the needles that were fired at her. The robot shrieked when it finally realized that it had no effect on Gorgon, choosing to plummet down to where she stood. She parried the blade that with the barrel of her blunderbuss, firing it when it was pointed at it. It was unfortunate for her that she only grazed its arms.

"Z.E.U.S., a little help here." She said between each parry.

"_Finally! I can instill my divine judgment!_" the AI answered with confidence, eliciting a pleased and relieved smirk from Gorgon.

Not a moment too soon, a ruby shaped pattern formed on the forehead of her mask. The robot took notice of this immediately, hesitating on delivering another blow. The pattern started glowing, almost bathing the room in an eerie ruby light. Then a large concentration of static filled the area around her, harmless on its own, but paralyzing all those that are bathed by the ruby light, synthetic and organic alike. The robot was motionless in the air, held by the static that surged through it the moment its eyes were locked on the pattern. This was all Agent Gorgon needed, taking her leisure time to reload the blunderbuss before expending it all on the paralyzed robot. It let out a haunting cry as its last figurative breath.

She sighed with relief when the static receded. "Thanksss Z.E.U.S." but that relief was gone when her mind returned to the task at hand, their AI's boastful response falling on deaf ears. She looked down from the catwalk, seeing that Void was facing the corridor, his gaze kept on the last robot. She leaped off of the ruined catwalk to join him, her blunderbuss ready at hand.

The last robot, now bathing the room with its indigo light, floated towards them. Its form seemed to be a combination of the last two that they had fought. And unlike the rest of the army they had faced, this one had a distinct mouth on its face.

"**¡͉̣̫̯̼͍̻̃ǝ͔̝̹̻̩͍̖̆̂ɔ̬̯̭̘̂̐͊̉ͅu̗͙̻̟̜̺̹̓́ɐ̹̺̖̖̞̮͈ͤ̋ͧ̄͋̉ͮɥ̘̙̞̗͋̓ͬ̐ͤ͌ɔ̠̦̮͋̈̇ͯ̔̒͊ ̗̝̼̭̇ʇ̺̠̟͍͕̻̎̄̍͋͐̚s͇̟͇̙̽̍̍̔̐ɐ͉̥̲̱̺͖ͩ́̆̍ͪͪ̏̆l̳̲͖̲͖̔̒͌ͥ̚ͅ ̘͖͍̺̔̀ɹ̻͕̘͖̀ͩ̃͂̔̽ͧ̂n̗͖ͣ͐̅̂͌ͤ̌̉ǒ̺͚̺̜̬͚̼̦ͣ́̌̅̓̋̽́ͅʎ͚̥͎͇̠̠͎ͫͤ̇̇ͅ ̠͍̬̠͒̇͌ͤͨs̤͈͙̙̣̊͂̒͊̎ᴉ̘͚̤̰̻͒̾̌ͧ ̠̍ͩ͗͗͋s͔͈͎̭̱͖̫̫̭ͣ̅̓̿ͪ̚ᴉ̪̘̙͖͐ͨ́̈́̐̀ɥ̱͉̣̮͖͗ͣͩ̓┴͙̞̞͍ͦ̄ͬͯͯ**" it spoke to them, its voice filled with anger and malice. "**¡͇̫̥̣̭ͪ̍ͯ͌͆u̖̬͉̾̈́ͣͫͦͬᴉ̞̰͖͙͕̹̲͙̓̑ɐ̝̼̝̜͊̿ͅƃ̹̳̏̃̾̌͒̈ɐ͇͙̬͑ͤͧ͗̎̏̓ ̖̙͔̝̖͕͊̓̄ͪɹ̰ͪ͐̏̒ͭ̂ǝ̺̙̞̥͉̩̝͂̋ͧ͑ͣ̈́ʌ̩̰̜͌̃ͮ͋ͥ̐ͯ̌ǝ͈͇̩ͮ̌ͯ ̟̟͉̫͉̙͖͓̌ͣͦ͂ͥʎ̞̰̼̣̻̱͋͒ͧͧͧ̇̍̋ͅɐ͕̳͓͔̳͌̿ͬ͊̐p̯̳͂̀ͮ ̝̰̣̣̉͋̆ͩ͗ͅɟ͔͕̙̽̈ͥ̆ͥ̌o͕̍̈́̚ ̥̳̜̠̬͉̼̹ͣͧͯ̓̔͋̈́̽ʇ̭͈͉͕̓̊̆͛̀̈̍̆ͅɥ̺̭̳̺̯͓̤̲̂ͮ̎ͩ̓̔ƃ̟͕̹͚̏̓ͣ͆̊ͯᴉ̥̭̻͆͂ľ͔͇ͦ̔̓͂ͩ̍̉̉ ͍̻̪̙̲̝̣ͬͦͣ͑ǝ̬̞̲͓̀̎ɥ̪̰͓̞̻̅ͧʇ̩̰̫̓̽̂̄͐̄ͬ ͎̘̻̲̘͈̼̞ͬ̋̀ǝ̼͉͕͙̆͌ͧǝ̮̬̂ͦ̎̐ͦ̿s̯̜͔̟͉̲̆̈͋ͤ̿͒̒̉ ͚̺̣͇͖͔̘̆̎ʇ̣̰̝̙̗̰̑ͬ̒ǒ̯͙͖̖̹̻̜̜̜ͥ̑̾ͪͣȗ̞̪̫̮͌̑̈́̒ͅͅͅͅ ̜̩̼͉̜͎͓͆̄̍̓ͬ̚l̪̫̭̤̃̿͑̑ͪ̏l͙̣̰̖̘̙̰͇̓ͣ̽ᴉ̳͈̪͔̻̝̮̎̅͆ͪ̉͛ʍ̙̪̰͎̜͖̃̋̊̃̓́͛ ̳̈͐̌̇n̖͉̪͕͍͌͋ͥͅọ̮̝̉͌͊ͦ͐ͨ̉̂ʎ̻̌͂ ͉͓̐ͬ̏̄͛̈͋ɹ̬̦̟͔̦̑o̮̖̱̭͖̩̯̊̌ͅ ̗̺̠̱̫̥̓ͣͪ͆ͅ'̹͍͓̺̥͑̊ͦ̒ǝ͇͓̻̺͖̍̈ͩ̀ɔ̤̟͕͔͙̼͚ͮ͌͆͒̚ɐ̻̦̘́́̅ͣ́l̮͔͇̅ͤ̂ͫ͐͗ͅd͖̣͕̣͉̬̦͋ͪ̿̓ͅ ͈̳̄̈́ͫ̿̂͑͋s̤͚̼͉̯̾͋͋̊ͫ̎̀̚ᴉ̩̻̤̻͚̰͗̔̄̌́ɥ̜̭́̚ʇ̙̥̙̼̑ͨ̂̓̐͌ ̘̠̜͒ǝ͖̦̓̄͌ͫͩʌ̱̞͔̻̟̗̤͙͆͒̚ɐ̬͓͉̽̈ͭ̊̃ǝ͈̩̝̮̀˥̳̠̜̦̣͉̾͐̿ͧ̓̈**"

Void glanced at his partner with a raised eyebrow. "We can't do that." Gorgon responded, not fazed by the terror it was trying to plant. "We need to speak with you, whether you like it or not."

Void readied his mace and primed his grenade when the robot did not give an immediate response. At first it started growling, and then its growls turned to harsh cries, until it finally culminated into a piercing wail. "**¡̖̲̼̱͉̟̺͒̈̆͋ͦͬ́ͧʇ͓̹͇̣̰̻͓͎̘̌̉͂̀ͧᴉ̩̝̯ͤ͑ͬͅ ̝̜͎͙̥͈͌͌̽ǝ͇̌̐̌q̣̖͇͔̔͊̉̎ͅ ͕̗͚̦̗̮͇̺͆́ͥͧ͛ͦó̖̜̤̬̹̙̈̍̉̔͊s̯͐̅͐̊͂̔ ̘̥̭͖͔̗̜̠̈́̌u͖̻͊͌̾̑̑ͬͣͅǝ̱͖̗̪̬̤̱̺͚ͪ̋̐̐ͤɥ̯̼͎̭̰͐̇ͩ̐̉̓̐ͮͩ┴̪̮̼̮̯̠̣̗̍ͫ̄ͬͮ̋͂ͅ**"

Its arm flew out and fired something that was connected to its wrist, the projectile sending Gorgon out of and into the last room. When it made its move to Void, the grenade detonated, freezing the robot just before him. He struck it with vigor as he did with the previous machinations, but with each blow that he struck, he felt needles piercing him as if to respond to each hit. Seeing that his standard plan of attack wasn't as straightforward as he'd like, he maneuvered his way behind the robot and clutched it with his free hand. When the cloud dispersed, he threw it back into the corridor.

The only damage he accomplished was causing it to lose one of its legs, admittedly one of the least important parts to its anatomy. When it got back up, it wailed at him and aimed its arm, firing whatever it was that sent Gorgon away. He's not as cumbersome as her, effortlessly dodging it and the many that followed. If it weren't for his helmet, despite being damaged from a previous incursion, he'd probably be in the same situation as Gorgon right now.

What he can't evade was the robot's sudden approach, trying to lessen the distance between him and it. Because it floated off the ground, he couldn't deny that it looked intimidating looming over him. He couldn't hold it out for long, as the moment this malicious robot stood before him, it plunged its two blades into his shoulder. It took every ounce of his being to not cry out, but he found it more difficult when it started vibrating, causing further pain for him. He tried to push it out of him, but the robot was stronger than him.

"**¡͔̳͈̈́ͣͮͩ̓ͅǝ̘̟̋͒ͦ͆ᴉ̟̞̭̠ͫ͐͑̽p̪͓ͦͧ̏̎ ͚͕̹̮̪̭̜̲͐̅ͮͪ̑͌ͯͤl͙̼̦̝̍̆̚l͉̼͖̤̼ͤ̐ͨ̚ᴉ̙̯͉̀͑̓̆ʍ̪͙̩̜̎ͥ̃̓ͬ̏ ͓̖͔͔ͭͨ̊n̘̻̔͊͊o͉̦̠̼̿̓ͣͯͤͯʎ̜̞̺͚̤̈́͆̈́͂̅͐̈̈ͅ ͖͓̠̥̟͖̬̑̎̐ͫʍ̗̪̗̥̪ͦ̄̀̂̄o̙͍ͭ́ͅN̝̬͖̺̯̮̣̠ͦ̄̆͂**" it said, trying to rips its blades apart from him. Now he was using his strength to hold it in place.

To his immense relief, the robot was blasted off of him with one of its blades snapping off. "That wasss, admittedly, unpleasant." Gorgon said, appearing into view. Her heavy armor was now in tatters, show parts of her bodysuit underneath. She pulled out the blade that was lodged into Void's shoulder, throwing it behind them. "Not let'sss get thisss done. We've wasted too much time already."

The machination wailed again. "**¡̯̹̗͔ͮ͐̒͊̈́ɹ̜̥͙̞͙̈͒õ͈̼͆́̈́o̰̙̩̙͉͕ͫ̊̐̋p͖̼̰̻̗͎͇̃ͮ͛͒́̑͛̑ͅ ̘͖͕͚ͣ͌ͭ̐̿s͇͙͈͖̟̫̥ͨ̅̿̈́́ͥᴉ̼̗̩͓̮͓̑̽̀͗ɥ̗̥͔̜͖̝̌̈́̌ͨ́ʇ̱̫̙̫̗̼̹̆̂ͥͭͤͩͬͮ ͔̩͕̦͉̻̦̗̰̽̊̑̿̚s̺̙ͩ̚s͚͙̋̋ͯ̔͊ɐ̣̼͕̰͗ͭ͂ͅd̟̘̜ͩͦ͗̐̀̃ͫͨ͐ ̹̗̗̺͎̩̖͊̎ͬ̍̾ʇ̣̱̮̻͚̘̃̍͑̊̂ͣͣͅo̪̭̾ͬ͗͒̍ͫͨu͉̥͉̮ͨͮ͗̃̓͛̎̈́ ̝̰̣͓̔ͮ͊͂̐ͥ̏ͩ̈ͅĺ͖̹̟̦̐ͨ̆l͓̝ͨ̈̎ͨ̽ᴉ̬̘͚͉͒ͬͫʍ͇̭̣ͨ ̱͇̞͙̖̻͎̠̏̑̐̈́͗n͙͉̺̾̄̔ͮ̏͌ͅo͎̼̤̤͈͐͊́ʎ̗̫̜͇ͣ̃ͭ**" it shouted to them.

"We'll see." Gorgon responded, firing off her blunderbuss again.

Void followed each shot now, closing the distance with the confidence of being backed up by Gorgon as they tackled this last obstacle. Now that it was two against one, they can stand toe to toe against it. Each time it tried to shoot at Gorgon, he'd be there to swipe its arm away. Each time it tried to strike Void, she'd stagger it with another shot from her blunderbuss. Seeing that Gorgon was ready with the killing blow, he charged at it to pin it down on the ground. It tried to scurry away, but Void's hold was strong. And with Gorgon aiming the blunderbuss at its face, its wailing cry was the last thing it did before she blew its head apart.

Void laid there on top of the dead robot, fatigue slowly inching across his body. But he pushed himself off of the remains, knowing that their objective was almost completed. Gorgon, with her weapon already holstered, had made her way through the corridor and kicking the door that separated them and the room. Void hurried along, now beside Gorgon as they laid their eyes on the room.

Unlike the eerie malevolent air that was persistent in the rest of the factory, this room was bathed in blue, filled with nothing but servers and processors and shining in an almost futuristic look. On the clearer side, a collection of monitors were placed on the walls, with one of them stretching across it. The station had a messy table and keyboard and a disheveled chair, but the person they sought after was nowhere to be seen.

Till Void caught a glimpse of her hiding behind one of her processing units. He made his way towards her, and she cried out in terror when she was pulled out of her hiding place. He pulled her along and threw her back onto her chair.

"_Please, please! Have mercy! I don't want to die!_" the woman pleaded, covering her face with her arms as she cowered before them.

Void looked to Gorgon with a bewildered look. This was not how he expected the person they were looking for to be, especially after the whole army she sent after them.

Gorgon meanwhile didn't seem surprised, even taking her mask off. "We jussst wanted to talk, Mercurial. That isss your name, right?"

The woman slowly lowered her arms, showing her face that was wrought with fear. Her eyes stood out, a dark purple with black sclera. Impossible through natural means, which perked Gorgon's interest. "_What do you two want with me?_"

Gorgon looked around the room, her gaze falling on the monitor, a variety of programs and numbers that meant nothing to her. "You have some pretty heavy gear here."

"_They're replaceable._" Mercurial answered. Seeing that Gorgon wasn't hostile, she fully lowered her arms. "_They're not what make me who I am._"

"Then what doesss make you who you are?"

"_My army that you decimated._" she replied. She looked saddened for a moment before them. "_It's a good thing I have more scattered on this earth, but now nothing to protect me._"

Gorgon chuckled in an amused way. "Well, hopefully not nothing anymore, if thingsss go our way."

Mercurial squinted her eyes, wondering what the agent meant by that, but before she could form a question Void appeared right before her, his helmet managing to frighten her. "What are those things? They could cause chaos if left unattended, or worse; if it were to fall in the wrong hands."

"_I call them Haunts. And it's impossible for them to fall into someone else's control._" the woman explained, failing to back away.

"And how can you be so sure of that?" he said, continuing his interrogation.

His intimidating demeanor made Mercurial nervous. "_B-b-because they'll only respond to me. At most, people can take control of one, but that's it for them._" she opened her eyelids wide with her hands, showing her odd looking eyes. "_I implanted nanobots inside my own eyes, and the program they run in will only ever accept my signature._"

"Isss that why your sclera isss black?" Gorgon asked, receiving a nod from Mercurial. "And what isss thisss program you speak of?" Gorgon added, lightly pulling Void away from the cowering woman.

Mercurial looked back at the taller agent, and then back at the helmeted one, trepidation holding her tongue. Feeling as though her life depended on it, she gave in. "_Spectre._"

"Fitting." Void commented.

Mercurial came to meet his gaze, holding her ground. "_I do my operations at night, so I tailored them to suit the time of day._"

Both agents looked at each other, a wordless conversation being exchanged between them. Mercurial sank back into her chair, feeling as though what will happen to her in the future in decided by this few minutes, by whatever they were hoping to achieve. The scarred woman smiled at Void, as though she was pleased with something while her partner was grumbling.

"Told you we got what we wanted." She told the man, before turning to the cowering woman. "Listen. We have a proposition that you would mossst likely go with, becaussse declining would be detriment to your wellbeing. Care to listen?"

Mercurial nodded furiously, glad for this ordeal to be over with. "Then join usss. The Pantheon Group." Her mouth fell open, flabbergasted as to not hearing what she at all expected. "We're in need of someone of your talent, Mercurial. And you'll fit right in."

Mercurial was deeply confused, and curious as to the nature of their mission. "_Why do you need me?_"

"Our Agency is lacking in a specific kind of talent. So we did the nextss bessst thing, and searched for a new recruit. Took a while but I think we got what we were searching for."

It was still overwhelming, but she was confident now in her prospective future. " _Do I need to go down to the field?_"

Gorgon laughed, as if Mercurial had asked the most absurd of questions. "Have you ever need to?"

"_No…_"

"Then it's settled. You'll be coming along with usss, and enter your new home." Gorgon said invitingly. "Void? Did you find them yet?"

Said agent appeared from behind Mercurial, carrying with him two prosthetic legs. "Took a while. She stashed them real good."

Without consulting, he dived down to attach the limbs to Mercurial's knees. Said woman looked up to the taller agent. "_This isn't going to be a problem?_"

"None at all." Gorgon said, helping Mercurial up, allowing the woman to adjust to her unused limbs. "Come on. Pack your essentialsss, we're lighting the placcce so asss to not leave our tracksss."

With that news, Mercurial worked with gust under the new sense of urgency. She transferred all her most important files to her laptop, her fingers moving with lighting speed as it tackled the keyboard like a pianist with his fabled instrument. When it was all set and done, she shut it off and entered a code into her main unit, causing it to spread a virus to every single computer connected to it, before shutting down and exploding right before them.

She turned to the agents, now carrying a simple backpack and her laptop in hand. "_I'm ready._"

"Splendid." Gorgon said as she wrapped her arm around Mercurial's shoulder. "Void, if you would do the honors."

He nodded, glancing to the side. "Z.E.U.S., we're done here. Light this place up."

"_You mortals won't know what happened._" The AI replied.

Void nodded to himself, then at Gorgon, before leaving off before them while she and Mercurial carried on in a relaxed pace. "So, what wasss that program called again?"

"_Uhm, Spectre._" Mercurial answered unsurely.

Agent Gorgon smiled at the newest agent, placing her mask back on her face. "Spectre, huh? That'sss a nice name, don't you think?"

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

phew! man, taking a week free helped a lot! this turned out better than i expected!

FUNFACT

Spectre, like Weaver, went through many iterations. my first idea was to have her as a tourist lost in the city, who's language is unknown to all except Slithice. never found a perfect way for her to enter, so i scrapped it.  
then someone here suggested that she was an AI, to combat Zeus. i liked the idea for it can allow her to be global, but i don't like her being an AI specifically.  
but then i used that idea and developed it further, so now she's a hacker that controls many robots scattered around the world.  
**MinorChapterUpdate: **also, the idea of her having prosthetic legs just came from how she floats in the game, with her legs nowhere to be seen.

TRANSLATION

i also realized that perhaps what the Haunts said actually might be hard to decipher, so here are the sentences said, in order:

1 - Begone intruders!  
2 - You will not take me!  
3 - Leave me be!  
4 - You will either leave or die!  
5 - This is your last chance!  
6 - Leave this place now or you will not see the light of day ever again!  
7 - Then so be it!  
8 - Now you will die!  
9 - You will not pass this door!

REVIEWS

**Guest:** i do have an idea for OD and CM. just nothing that'll be in the near future.

well, hope you guys enjoyed reading it!


	86. The Shaping Past

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

yeah, apologies for having a really quiet month. honestly didn't know which arc to tackle, then by the time i had an idea, ended up being preoccupied with some personal stuff. hope this helps sate your thirst guys! have fun!

* * *

**The Shaping Past**

The bustling metropolis of Elze grew more prosperous as the days go by, the busy streets filled with people accomplishing various activities for the day. Fitting for the capital of the kingdom, strengthened by the people that built its foundations. But behind every success is a moment in their lives that forever changed them, setting them on the path of who they are today. The past that only they, and a very select few, know of. This is what they were.

_35 Years Ago_

A young tall woman was working frantically on a peculiar contraption atop an abandoned skyscraper. Her bright short silver hair shone as it reflected the moonlight. She worked tirelessly, hoping to finish this construction before the clock strikes midnight. She was so engrossed in her work that she did not realize the door to the roof opening, revealing a younger woman carrying a brown paper bag with her. As she stepped foot onto the roof, a shorter man followed behind her, his body wrapped in black bandages. The both of them approached the busy woman.

"Hey 'Mene. Give it a rest, would ya?" She said with concern, her face looking worried. "You've been up here since last night. Have you even eaten anything yet?"

As if a switch was flicked, Selemene tensed when her friends appeared, all of a sudden her body dropping with her landing on her back. She breathed tiredly, looking up at the two that came to her. "I don't think so. I lost track of time."

Her friend sighed, sitting herself next to Selemene's form and taking out the food they bought for her. The lone man walked around, his eyes glazing over the odd looking contraption Selemene was making. "You still have no idea what this is, do you?"

"No. It still looks like crap even though I'm following the schematics." She answered as Aviliva helped her up. "None of this makes any sense, but I see no reason to stop now."

"You're just doing this because they said that you're a goddess there." Aviliva accused, her face laden with a playful smile.

"Hey, you're also a goddess there too." Selemene retorted, pulling Aviliva off the ground. "But that's not my reason. Not even close."

"Then what is?" Rhasta asked, nearing the two women. "You've been awfully eager to help when we happen to know on their existence."

Selemene looked disappointed at her friends' stance regarding this endeavor of hers. She moved her way toward the railing, edging herself on the skyscraper. Her eyes looked up to the full moon as her friends followed behind her. "Have you guys never wondered about this earth? How we know so little of it?"

Aviliva shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm sure Rhasta doesn't have this problem, with his spirits and all."

"Then Rhasta should understand why I'm so eager." She turned to face her friends, leaning on the railings.

"I'll admit, the spirits are incapable of seeing farther than our realm and theirs." Rhasta looked thoughtful for a brief moment, before looking back to Selemene, smiling. "Yeah, I guess I can understand what you mean."

Selemene smiled when she heard his understanding, now facing Aviliva with the intent on explaining what was lost to her. "There's almost nothing we know of this universe. To be given the chance to even be a part of it, I will do so. Just so we won't have to live in blissful ignorance." Her hand moved onward, landing on Aviliva's shoulder. Her smile turned teasing. "Plus, it doesn't hurt to gain a little bit of the Fundamentals' trust, am I right?"

Eased by her words, Aviliva joined the silver haired woman in joyous laughter, with Rhasta accompanying with a deep, hearty chuckle. "Is this supposed to be your subtle way of asking us for our help?" Aviliva asked.

A shocked expression came to Selemene's face from the accusation. "Please, Aviliva. If I wanted your help, I'd just ask for it." She approached her friends and brought them closer with her arms around their necks. "So how about it? Wanna help me finish this?"

Aviliva pried the arm off of her with a smile on her face. "Maybe it'll actually get done by dawn."

While the two women shared a laugh, Rhasta distanced himself as he surveyed the peculiar contraption again. He faced Selemene as the taller woman looked back at him. "The spirits deem it wise for us to complete this task of yours."

Selemene clapped her hands together, happy with the brightening situation. "Great! Don't worry guys, when this is all over, I'm sure you guys will also think that it's all worth it!" she said, in hopes of enlightening their spirits. Rhasta bellowed a deep laugh as he followed the taller woman while Aviliva shook her head exaggeratedly. But she too relented and joined the other two, hoping that they could finish this odd machination as quick as possible.

_30 Years Ago_

A doctor was shuffling back and forth in the hospital corridor, his face looking drenched with sweat as his body was filled with stress. Although he was a high ranking doctor of said hospital, his reason for being there at that moment was far from professional. His wife's presence on a nearby bench was telltale, holding her face in her hands to hold back the soft tears from the concern and worry she was feeling. Of all the reasons they could have to be here, this was not one of the ones they were looking forward to.

A younger doctor appeared in the hallway, his body giving off a loose and tired vibe as he approached the doctor and his wife. He was apprehensive in confronting the senior doctor, but he hoped that this semblance of good news would placate him.

The married couple seemed to be too preoccupied with the anxiety to notice him as he stood before them, so he coughed to draw their attention. Both of them were now staring at the young doctor, waiting expectantly. "We've stabilized your son, Dr. Aghanim. We have transferred him to the ICU as we speak."

Before Aghanim could voice his relief, his wife shot up from the bench, approaching the young doctor. Her strained eyes showed the after effects of worried tears. "Please, how is Rubick? Will he be alright?"

The young doctor held up his hand defensively, but quickly moved to the wife's shoulder when he realized he could've offended her. "Rubick will be fine, ma'am. The worst has been treated, but the burns were severe."

She looked torn, her body conflicting on whether to feel grief or relief. Aghanim pulled his wife to a comforting embrace, allowing her to silently vent. He eyed his younger colleague. "Eul. Explain."

The young doctor nodded, his eyes falling down as he read over the report. "The brunt of the chemical burns were mostly on his face, the rest of his body is left relatively unscathed. Most of his face, barring the area around his right eye and his forehead, suffered second-degree and third-degree burns. His right cheek, or what's left of it, suffered fourth-degree burns."

"How severe is it?" Aghanim asked, shielding his wife with his arms.

"The effects of the burns are permanent, damaging the skin's sensation. Rubick would need to keep his face covered most of his life from how sensitive he'd be. And his right cheek, well sir…" Aghanim's younger colleague seemed hesitant to continue, but the hard gaze he was giving propped him to continue. "…well there's nothing left sir. He'll really need a surgery, or some sort of mask at least."

Aghanim's wife quivered in his arms, sobs leaving her as the doctor relayed the situation. Aghanim held her tightly. "Good thing the lad loves masks." He said, eliciting a saddened chuckle from his wife. "Take us to him."

Eul bowed his head slightly. "Yes Dr. Aghanim. This way."

They made their way through the busy hospital corridors, a peculiar thought flashed in Eul's mind when he remembered a recent phenomenon. "Dr. Aghanim. During the procedure, it seemed like the anesthetics weren't having an effect on him."

His wife tensed in his arms, which he quelled comfortingly. "What do you mean Eul?"

"He seemed to be fully aware of everything, despite the many doses we administered. We stopped below the threshold." He explained.

"That's alright." Aghanim replied reassuringly. "Most drugs do in fact have less effect on him. Anesthetics aren't exempt from it."

"Oh, I was not aware of that."

"No worries. He should be fine."

No sooner when the conversation finished did they arrive where Rubick was held, the many nurses surrounding the child as they took care of him. Most of his face was covered in bandages, with only his right eye being visible, his green eye seemed to not have lost its light. Aghanim's wife rushed to Rubick's side, kneeling by the bedside as she clutched Rubick's hand, whispering many words of prayer and gratitude. The nurses vacated when they saw Eul and Aghanim approaching.

The doctor gave the family the space they need, as he addressed the nurses that were tending Rubick. Aghanim approached the bed, seeing his son being carefully held by his wife. "Oh thank the heavens you're alright. Please, don't ever frighten me like that ever again."

Rubick chukled, the sound muffled by the bandages around his head. "Mothe_r_, don't wo_rr_y. I'm fine." His voice was hard to make out thanks to it. "Just lost a bit of my face is all."

His attempt to lighten the mood was met with deaf ears as his mother was now laying her head on his abdomen, still forever grateful. Aghanim closed the distance between him and his son, and there was a visible look of fear flashing from his son's eyes. "Rubick."

"Fathe_r_" the son responded cautiously.

Aghanim had a reputation of being cold, calculating and distant, going hand in hand with the reputation he has amassed over the years. He does however show that in him lies compassion. Unfortunately, he hardly showed any of that to Rubick, this he knew evident from the way his son was staring at him right now. He sighed in disappointment, mostly to himself, before crouching down.

He grabbed Rubick's hand and held it tightly. "Remember this moment, son." He started, a surprised expression washing over Rubick as he expected a scolding from his father. "Remember this, as this will be the first of many that will shape who you will become. Take this as a lesson, to further build your strengths."

This caught Rubick off guard, as a lesson in life was the last thing he expected his father to say. He smiled, thankful that he now truly knew that deep down his father truly cared for him. "Yes fathe_r_. I will."

Aghanim nodded back, and with his wife, they waited there in the hospital till they could bring Rubick back home with them, along with a mask that will define who he is.

_20 Years Ago_

A young pre-teen girl was standing outside a room within a relatively lacking orphanage, her eyes sharp and filled with anger and malice. Her clothing looked dilapidated, losing most of its vibrant red color and leaving it in its pale state. Her eyes closed when she remembered what she had done a few days ago, her arms shaking. She still did not know whether that was exhilaration, fear, or regret. _Whatever,_ she thought to herself. _It's worth it, for what that bastard did._

The arguing inside the room was getting calmer, and she could now make out what they were talking about. She scoffed, already knowing what it was. "_Look, I don't think this is the right place for her, especially for what she did, ma'am_"

"_What she did is stab that asshole of a step-father she had for all the things he did to her._" another voice responded. "_Yes I've read about the case file. Which is why I made it so she'd be put here, instead of some random juvenile rehabilitation program._"

"_She killed him, ma'am._"

"_Before he would've laid his hands on her, just like before._" The girl chuckled. She liked this woman, whoever she was. "_This is the perfect environment for her to adapt. And I know what she's been through._"

There was silence, a long one before the City Guard finally responded. "_Then we will come back every week for the whole month, to keep up with her progress._"

She heard footsteps shuffling towards the door, no doubt the City Guard no making his way out. The door shot open as he left, and he glanced at her briefly. "We'll be back, girl." Was all he said before making his way out of the house.

The woman came out later, hovering over her. She leaned downward, smiling at her with her eyes shining with genuine concern and empathy. "Good morning, Akasha. How are you?"

This woman looked far too young to be handling to be the one running this orphanage, but if what she said inside was true, then this woman looking at her with those eyes made more sense. "I'm… I'm fine…" she silently cursed at herself for sounding so weak.

Before she could react further, the woman brought her into a tight embrace. Surprise was the word she'd use for this gesture. "My name is Orchid. And welcome to my orphanage. I'm here for you." Akasha couldn't help but hug the woman back. "Is there anything you want?"

Akasha sighed. This woman felt comforting to her, almost reminding her of her mother. She crushed the thought away before she could show any sign of weakness. "I… I want… to take a bath." She said to the woman. "I feel… dirty."

The woman pulled back slightly from the hug, her own eyes showing that she understood what Akasha was going through. "Don't worry. I'll get the hot water running soon. I'll have someone walk you around, to give you a tour. How's that sound?"

Akasha opened her mouth to say something, but no words came from her. Instead, she settled with nodding. The woman smiled warmly at her, standing up and turning her head back. "Luna! Can you come here for a moment?!"

No sooner than when the woman called her out, a particularly tall girl with bright silver hair appeared. She too had a hardened look, giving off a hard intimidating vibe. Yet Akasha could sense that whatever it was, it was slightly different than her situation. This girl called Luna moved towards them, almost towering over Akasha, with her arms crossed.

"We have a new person whose part of the family today." Miss Orchid said to the tall girl. "I'm going to prepare a hot bath for her, so why don't you show her around the place?" Miss Orchid, after giving a comforting touch on their shoulders, made her way to the bathroom. "_And be nice to her! She's older than you!_"

Akasha widened her eyes in surprise. She was not expecting this taller girl to be younger than her. This girl was looking at her, her indigo colored eyes moving up and down her body judgmentally. Feeling somewhat violated, Akasha stared back defiantly.

"Ya look like shite." The girl said with a peculiar accent. "Ta 'ell 'appened?"

Akasha's defiant look softened, when she realized that this girl was showing concern for her, just in her own odd way. Akasha turned her gaze away when she realized that a blush was slowly growing from the affection she was getting. First from Miss Orchid, and now from this girl named Luna. "Don't wanna say." She finally replied.

Luna's hand found its way on Akasha's face, making them face each other. She arched an eyebrow, still judging the answer she was given. As if finally relenting, Luna shrugged. "Whatev. Com, let's get ya acquainted."

"Who… who else… is here?" Akasha asked as she was lead by Luna's arm around her shoulder.

"'Nly maself, Orchid, and this lass Tresdin. Dan' think you'd click though." Luna explained.

Akasha nodded, happy with the answer. This orphanage is small, and the people are nice. She had decided that she liked the place. _Maybe it'll be a nice place to grow up._ she thought to herself.

_12 Years Ago_

A man was standing at attention, overlooking the bay area as it shuffled with activity, a heavy collection of soldiers and sailors ready to board the ships for the battles across the earth and in the seas. He wore his decorated coat to shield him from the cold sea air. A blonde woman approached him from behind, worry exuding from her body. Her face contorted, as unsavory thoughts flashed in her mind.

"Is there no way for you to not leave, Kunkka?" the blonde woman asked, her voice filled with concern for him.

The man turned on his heel to face the concerned woman, smiling comfortingly at her. He closed the gap between them and gave her a comforting hug. "Don't worry, Cresty. I'll be back before you know it."

The woman sighed in his embrace. "You know the girls are gonna get restless without you around. Their Uncle Kunkka is the only person capable of making them play together."

"I can't help it when King Ostarion wants the great Admiral Kunkka at the ready." He boasted, filling the bay with his bellowing laughter.

The woman shook her head, both annoyed and amused by his demeanor. "Please, come back safely. Okay?" she pleaded.

Kunkka's bellows softened as he addressed the woman again. "Have no fear, dear sister. I'll be back when the war is over, with flying colors! Then I'll keep you and the girls company again."

The woman sighed; her body language gave off a vibe that showed she wasn't even the slightest bit convinced. But she smiled back anyway, albeit awkwardly. Her brother was going to war, and the last thing he needed was someone not confident in him. Then she heard the sound of the car door opening behind her. A tired sigh escaped her, unlike the worried ones before, as she braced herself for what was about to happen.

The sound of hurried footsteps got louder as it approached them, two small figures closing in on the man. "Uncle Kunkka!" they called out excitedly, hugging the man's legs. "Don't go!" the older redhead said, clutching it tightly.

"Please stay with us!" the younger blonde said, pulling the man's jacket.

The man laughed heartily, picking up both girls with each of his arms, holding them tenderly. "Now now you two. You already have your mother worrying over me. I need both your love and support for this."

"But Uncle Kunkka! It's dangerous!" the fiery redhead stated, shaking the man's beard.

"Just stay home with us!" the blonde added, pinching and pulling his cheek.

"Lina! Rylai!" their mother called out, quelling their cries. She sighed when tears were forming on Rylai's eyes. "Please, your Uncle needs you two to be strong for him. Can you girls do that for him?"

Little Rylai, was now covering her eyes as she tried to stop the tears that were falling. Lina was openly pouting for many reasons, crossing her arms angrily. Neither of them still couldn't face the thought of Kunkka leaving for war, and this made it even harder for Crestfal to handle it herself. She looked deep into Kunkka's eyes, silently pleading. The Admiral's confident smile showed that he was there for them.

"Hey, if you two behave for me while I'm gone, then I promise I'll bring back something wonderful." He told them. "Like the jewel of the seas? Or the biggest pearl?"

"You're still not gonna be here." Lina said, facing her body away from her uncle. This only amused him, as this made her look cute in her own way.

Rylai meanwhile dropped her hands, her eyes still red, addressing her uncle again. "The biggest one?" she asked, her voice as light as a whisper.

Kunkka bellowed a deep laugh before answering his niece. "Yes! The biggest pearl there is!"

Rylai sniffed, but ultimately nodded back affirmatively, this time with a smile. Lina glared at her sister for succumbing so quickly, but one glance at her uncle made the wall of her resistance crumble. She too nodded to him, blushing deeply. Their mother sighed with relief, now that her children were calmed. But inside this all made it harder for her to see her brother go. She tried her hardest to keep it all together.

Kunkka carefully handed the girls back to Crestfal, whose discomfort was still evident to him. He brought them all in a tight hug. "Take care, the three of you. I'll be home soon." He said to them, letting the embrace go as he made his way to the ships, all the while waving back at them.

Lina and Rylai cried out to their Uncle Kunkka, whishing his safe journies. Their mother closed her eyes for a brief second, before opening them again and seeing her brother board his ship. "Stay safe, Kunkka."

_10 Years Ago_

"Ah, finally shook him off." Gondar said to himself, slumping deeper into the chair. He had been on the run for the past few months, with the City Guards on his tail for his technically illegal practices. He fished out the tracker from his pocket, feeling at ease when he saw that Slardar's mark on the other side of town. He was fully confident now, after all this time. Finally letting himself relax, he took out a simple book he had wanted to read, intent on enjoying it with the beverage he had ordered.

But when he noticed the chair opposite of him shifting as someone joined the table, alarms went off in his head. "Is this seat taken?" he heard the person ask.

He looked up from his book and verbally cursed. "_Fi mal ta'a._" Right in front of him was the renowned Guard Lieutenant. He'd never seen her before in street wear, but there was no mistaking her sharp orange hair and piercing gaze. "No, it's vacant." He finally answered.

She smiled, making herself comfortable on the chair as a waitress brought her the drink she ordered herself. She stirred her drink as she kept her gaze on Gondar. "So, I hope you had your fun, Gondar." She told him, referencing the wild goose chase he brought Slardar into.

"I wouldn't call it "fun" when my livelihood is at stake." He replied, now keeping his guard up. He did not know what she has in store, and if she has any backup or not. He was careless, and he wouldn't let it get him down.

"That's right, _Bounty Hunter_." the way she finished those words, he could feel the underlying threat beneath. "It is a very, **dangerous** occupation."

He was not in the mood for games right now, so he settled his book down and looked her back in her eyes. "Let's cut to the chase, Slithice." He opened with a no nonsense approach. "The fact that you haven't arrested me means you actually have need of my services. So out with it."

Her smile faded, now the both of them have their eyes locked onto each other. She pulled out a brown paper envelope and placed it on the table, pushing it to Gondar's side. "That's a third." She told him simply.

He took the envelope and held it carefully. It was thick and heavy, gauging it before he opened it to inspect the contents. He kept his face straight so she couldn't see how surprised he was. This was a lot of money, and it was only a third. He looked back, arching an eyebrow. "For what?"

"I need you to track down the _Scourge of the Plains._" came her request.

This time he laughed as a response. A deep, mocking cackle that echoed in the little café they were at. He seemed uncaring of the stares he got because of it. "Really? **Her**? Of all people? Are you mad, woman?" he still found the request hard to believe, to process.

Slithice leaned back, crossing her arms over her chest. "I would've thought something like this would be a walk in the park for someone of your reputation, Gondar." Her tone showed that she was not amused.

"Oh, finding her isn't the problem here, Slithice." He responded, with cackles amidst his words. "I almost died the last time I faced off with her."

Slithice's eyes widened, not expecting to know that little bit of information. "I'm surprised you went after her."

"Do you not remember the generous amount of money the City Guards are offering to whoever brings her in?" Gondar retorted, again with that mocking tone.

Slithice nodded upon remembering the issued wanted poster they had for her. "Then this should be more incentive for you to take this contract."

Gondar shook his head, his serious demeanor returning. "Did you forget the part where I said I almost died?"

"You don't have to take her down, Gondar. We just need you to track her down." Slithice explained.

This made Gondar reconsider the request. It was effectively a lot of money for a simple task. But he was still suspicious. "Then what're you gonna do after I caught sight of her? I know the City Guards have been having a rough time trying to tie her down yourselves."

"We have come to an agreement with another party, in hopes of catching her off guard." Slithice added, though this only made Gondar wearier.

But deep in thought, he settled for it. At least he'd also like to know what the City Guards have planned for the _Scourge_. He nodded and held his hand out. "Very well. I'll take this job."

Slithice let out a breath of relief, happy to have the bounty hunter's services. Her hand met his, and they shook on it. "Glad to see you standing up for justice."

"Please don't insult me, Lieutenant." Gondar replied. "I always work for justice."

_8 Years Ago_

The dark sky covered the large park just a few hours before dawn, only filled by the homeless and straggling vagrants along its paths. And yet somehow, underneath the Protector's guise there was still someone doing the unexpected. A disheveled looking woman adorning torn leather armor was busily digging the ground beneath one of the massive trees with her blade, lacking the crimson red that would usually bathe it if her days were coming to a close.

She was having more difficulty than one would have when it came to digging, because the tool she was using was designed for killing. And it showed, the marks of distress evident on her face. She had done the greatest offense to the very people that had taught her everything; leaving her target alive. All because this target had a way for her to leave this horrid lifestyle. And she was putting all her faith into this. She knew the risks of trusting anyone, especially when this person was often called as the "Oracle", thanks to his otherworldly nature.

A distinct thud halted her entire body when her blade struck the dirt again. She held her breath when she now redoubled her efforts to dig out this box she was supposed to find. No doubt she was ruining her blade, but if this all works out, she will have no need for it ever again. She carefully cleared the dirt around this package and finally took another breath. She pulled it out, cleaning it of the remaining dirt that still clung to it.

With more difficulty than she expected, she got the box to open, and it was filled with the list she was told of and a collection of odd looking trinkets associated with the names on said list. She settled each object on the ground separately, so as to inspect them all one by one.

What started as a ball of cloth was later unfolded to be a rather eye-catching cape that seemed to share the patterns of the galaxies. She couldn't help but try it on; replacing the torn cape she had before. She was bedazzled by how pretty it looked. And it looked like she blended well with the area around her, though she was doubtful, thinking that either her eyes were playing tricks on her or the fact that she was directly under the moonlight.

The next object was some sort of pendant with the symbol of the sun engraved on it. After she folded the cape back, she held the pendant in her hands. Just looking at the thing somehow made her feel like she was being blinded and she could feel some sort of heat emanating from it. She placed it back on the ground, feeling more disturbed from it.

Then there was this cyan, tear-shaped object amidst everything else. At first it looked nondescript, possibly being some sort of jewelry she thought. She picked it up, and it somehow felt lighter than it already is. She held it up high and close to her eye, just to get a clearer look of it, but was surprised when the cyan color disappeared, leaving the tear clear as the moonlight shone on it. And looking through the now clear tear, she could see across the whole park. She clutched it out of reflex, and all of a sudden she was filled with intense alacrity. She returned it to the same spot she took it from.

When her hand came to the next object, she paused. It was a book. A thick, green book with three vertical slashes on the cover, possibly as the number 3. But that wasn't what stopped her. The book was pulsating. Slowly, for sure, but definitely pulsating. As if it was either beating, or breathing. Hesitantly, she picked it up but dropped it instantly the moment she heard whispers. Some sort of demonic language that she's never heard of. Opening the cover itself managed to cause the whispers to grow louder, and she closed it right after. She pushed the book as far away from her as possible.

The last thing in play was an odd looking orb with eight pointy edges around it. It looked like it was glowing, but she couldn't make out what it was made of. It seemed to permeate something that resembled a fluorescent greenish-yellow purple to her eyes, despite how well trained they were. Just holding the orb itself, she could feel some sort of energy that flowed through her because of it. She sighed as she dropped it back onto the ground.

She collected them all and replaced them inside the package, looking back at the list that was handed to her. She's never met any of these people, but she does know who they are. Hopefully this will be the only time she'll meet them if she has to. She nodded, to reaffirm herself, and looked off into the distance of the night. "This will be the end." She said aloud. She smiled as a comforting possibility formed, as her little task comes close to an end. "And a new beginning, for Mortred."

_6 Years Ago_

"Shendel, are you okay?" Aviliva asked, looking to her left while they waited for the red light. She had picked up the girl from the station, and she just wasn't the same as before.

Aviliva had eyes in the Skywrath household and their company, and she knew exactly what had happened. But the Skywraths wouldn't listen to her; she knew how stubborn they were, despite growing up with them. It was also why she immediately took Shendel in. The stubborn parents wouldn't have dealt with the situation well, especially as they were lead astray by their second born. It was a coincidence that this all worked out for everyone. Though this did thicken her need to never lose sight of Zanria; she needs to be ready for whatever the new heir has planned.

"I'm fine, Aunt Aviliva." Shendel answered, just as the light turned green. The car started moving again.

"I'm sorry that we're not heading to the apartment immediately." Aviliva said, trying to alleviate whatever concern Shendel might have.

"It's alright." Shendel replied. Her voice sounded so lifeless to Aviliva that it troubled her so much. "This is where I'll be working, right?"

Shendel's kept staring out the window; her head leaning on the cold glass as the sound of pattering raindrops touch her so lightly. "Yeah, I know the person who owns the place. She's a close friend. You can open up to her."

Shendel then turned her body to face Aviliva, causing the older woman to wonder why that of all things would make Shendel react. "Why should I?"

Aviliva glanced with an arched brow at Shendel. "Well, she's going to be your boss. And she needs to know everything about you, especially to protect the integrity of her fine establishment and the wellbeing of her employees."

Shendel continued to stare at Aviliva, the intensity of her gaze wavering slightly. Aviliva smiled, to comfort the younger woman. "She'll protect you, better than I ever could since I won't be around the apartments much. And it's also better that you tell her of all your problems, lest she finds out about them through other means."

She heard Shendel sigh beside her, understanding how apprehensive she would be. One of her hand went from the steering wheel and went to Shendel's back, rubbing it gently. She could feel the girl's muscles relax from her touch. "Okay, Aunt Aviliva. I'll tell her everything."

"Don't worry too much on it, okay?" Aviliva said with a comforting smile. "You can trust her with your whole life, and in time I'm sure your coworkers will be the same."

Shendel nodded, and the rest of the drive was filled with silence until they finally reached the coffee shop. Aside from the sign with the name "Dark Moon" written on it, the building looked nondescript. Though she had to admit that the blue made it stood out with its neighboring red. Aviliva held Shendel's hand softly as the older woman pulled her along, heading inside the coffee shop. The atmosphere was soothing, that she could feel immediately.

"Miss Aviliva! You're here early." A woman wearing a white blouse said as she bowed to them. The blouse showed a respectable amount of cleavage. The woman, upon looking back up, smiled at Shendel and brought her hand to meet hers. "My name is Mirana, the Manager of Dark Moon. You must be Shendel, right?"

Shendel, while shaking hands with the manager, turned to her Aunt, who was smiling at her. "I'm heading to the apartments and prepare your new home, alright? Mirana can do the rest when Selemene is ready."

Knowing that she couldn't argue if she wanted to, she gave a simple curt nod. "Okay."

Aviliva left as quickly as she arrived, leaving Shendel with Mirana, who looked at her patiently. "So, can I show you around? Selemene's talking to someone else at the moment, and you'll get to know the place better."

Shendel shrugged, not really feeling the drive for anything else. "Couldn't hurt."

With a smile, Mirana led them around the building. There wasn't much to show, as the coffee shop had only been around for a few years and it had only started gaining traction recently. They were early enough in the day for there not to be much people around. They passed by the only man that worked here, the very hard-to-approach barista when they passed the coffee machine and the ever frantic baker when they glanced inside the kitchen.

When they came to, the saw Selemene waving to an armored thin woman that had left the building, before their boss turned to face them directly. Mirana backed away when Selemene approached Shendel with an inviting smile. "Hey Shen. I understand Mirana's been showing you around the place?" Shendel nodded, a bit unprepared for how front this woman was. "Did she introduce you to everyone yet?"

"No yet 'Mene." Mirana answered for the new waitress.

Selemene smiled, now pulling Shendel closer. She was beyond startled when it just connected to her how tall this woman was. She was then spun around, now facing her new coworkers, as they all stared at her with variant expressions.

"This is Magina. The only waiter we have, and the only man around." Selemene pointed to said man, who nodded at them. There was an odd air around him that she couldn't place. His mind seemed to be stuck on something else, and his eyes were even more obvious, as they were always looking at somewhere off.

"This is Mirana, the proud Manager. You've met her before." The regal looking woman smiled again, though this time Shendel realized that it looked a little too, diplomatic. She'd seen the type before. When Shendel's eyes went to Mirana's, the manager sighed and closed them, aware of Shendel's intentions.

"This is Luna, my special barista. She's hard, but I'm sure you two can get along." This woman was tall, though not as tall as Selemene. And she had a guarded posture while she eyed Shendel carefully. She was being judged, and after a moment the woman's eyes lost its intimidating glare. She then nodded to the new waitress, who nodded back.

"And this is our baker, Mortred. She's" "Oh this will be so _merveilleux_! I'm certain we can be great friends!" the baker announced, clutching Shendel's hand with both of hers, dirtied by flour. A woman with an overly friendly demeanor, maybe even forced Shendel thought.

She was pulled away from the grasp by their boss, who ushered them to return to what they were doing. "Now, Shen. Let's have a little talk in my office while Mirana gets your gear ready."

_5 Years Ago_

Lanaya was livid. Angry. Betrayed. And many more, as she packed the last of her essentials in her third bag. She had a few couple thousand in her savings that she had just in case, but she didn't expect she'd need it for a situation such as this. She almost ripped the shirt she was holding. She couldn't contain this anger, not in the most feasible way. She heard footsteps approaching, feeling anger well up inside her again.

"This is going to be a huge mistake." She heard her mother say. "Despite what your father says, please. You can still stay."

"Never." Lanaya answered, putting her foot down. "I will leave and complete those researches. And we will be far apart."

"Please." She heard the pleading voice of her mother, and it almost made her rethink her actions. "Humanity is not ready for what they were about to achieve."

"Who are you to decide that?" Lanaya's retort was hard. "Who are any of you, in fact? I thought I knew my parents, but it seemed like they were in truth just strangers to me."

"We did what we had to do!" her mother finally raised her voice.

This time Lanaya finally turned to face her mother, who looked far distressed than she was. "Then I will do what I have to do as well." Lanaya said as she flung her bag over her shoulder, carrying one more with her other hand while dragging the last one.

"There's no way I can be here anymore, mother. We are too different, and we will never work in harmony again. Especially after what father said to my face."

"I know it'll be hard to look him in the eyes again, but I'm certain that we can still work this out." Her mother continued pleading.

"No!" finally Lanaya raised her voice. "I can't stay here, because this is no longer my home. For many reasons."

Her mother continued looking at her, her eyes hard and sharp and filled with sadness. But there was no pleading look anymore, instead a hard accepting glare. "Then if this is what it amounts to, leave. Leave, and never come back."

"Gladly." Lanaya replied as she left her mother there standing in front of her room. She didn't even bother to find her father, quickly making her way out of the house. She checked back to her wallet, calculating how far she could get with this amount before needing to dip into her funds. Thinking that her prospects were good for the time the while, she found an empty bench near the street. She was in the midst of the motion, but now she was taking the time to think of what she plans on doing.

She remembered that there was a university in Elze that a former researcher was now teaching in. She'd need to enter it then, and hope that they had dorms of some sort. She let out her breath, and carried on with her path, entering the bus that had stopped right in front of her.

_Present_

Three women were standing together in the middle of a cemetery. Dressed in black as they stood there, underneath the umbrella that shielded them from the dreary rain that washed over them. There were three cars waiting outside the area for each of them, as they for the first time in years mourned together.

The shortest of the three, though not by much, crouched carefully as she planted a flower atop the grave. The tallest moved behind the tombstone, touching it in remembrance while the last one held the crouching woman's back.

"She was a good woman." Tresdin said, breaking the silence for all of them as she pulled Akasha back up.

"Apparently too good for this earth, huh?" Luna said with her hand still on the grave marker.

Akasha remained silent, and though she was not openly weeping, the other two know how she was truly feeling, despite their years apart and the hatred they harbored for each other during that time. She was most likely the only one of the three who visited the grave frequently. The sigh that escaped her was the only sound she had made since they arrived there.

"She reminded me a lot of my own mother." Akasha finally said. "Maybe if she didn't die, we wouldn't have gone down this path."

"There's nothing we could've done, Akasha." Tresdin said, bringing the Queen closer to her by wrapping an arm around her neck. "We were still kids then, what could we even hope to accomplish?"

"If we tried pulling her out, we would've died too." Luna added. "That's not what Orchid would've wanted."

"No, I guess not." She turned where she was and hugged the commander. "She really brought us together."

"Just like now." Tresdin finished, letting Akasha stand there.

"So, answer me this, _Your Majesty_." The barista suddenly appeared right before them, causing Akasha to look up from her position. "Did you have Orchid buried right next to your mother?"

The Monarch chuckled, as if she was caught doing something unsavory by a doting parent. "Yeah. So I can visit two of my parents at the same time."

"How'd you find the body?" Luna asked, wondering aloud.

Akasha shook her head dejectedly. "There wasn't any. The City Guards cremated her and scattered her remains elsewhere." She gazed back onto the marker. "That's just a formality."

Both Tresdin and Luna didn't press the issue further. "Then I'm sure Orchid's happy to be remembered, especially with how far you've gotten, my _Queen_." the commander commented.

Akasha however did not respond this time, staying silent for the remaining trip. Luna, feeling that she's run out of time, closed in on the two. "Say hi to Nikka and Leon for me, alright?" Luna said to the Monarch, who nodded back with a smile. "You can keep her company all by yourself, right?"

"You're leaving?" Tresdin asked incredulously.

Luna laughs at them, for her own reason. "Unlike the both of you, I actually have a day job. So see you later."

She received silent waves of goodbyes from them as she made her way towards the white sedan that waited for her. Not even bothering to knock, she opened the door and made herself comfortable in the passenger's seat, placing the wet umbrella at the back. The driver was shocked out of her reverie. "Damn, Luna. Could'a warned me a bit." Mirana said, slightly flabbergasted.

Luna snorted a laugh, one that was slowly getting on Mirana's nerves. "You wish, princess."

Mirana turned her gaze to the two that were still in the cemetery, before glancing back at the older barista. "Are they okay?"

"They're fine. Now let's get to work, we're running a bit late now." The barista said as she planted her feet on the dashboard.

Despite how often Luna would have her way, Mirana wasn't going to let the barista off for that. "At least take your shoes off when you do that. You're gonna ruin my car"

Luna snorted that horrendous laugh again, letting the manager get angry before finally relenting and taking off her wet footwear. She looked back in thought of her life, the life she has now and the life she had before. During the time where the populace genuinely feared her. During the time she was some executioner's lapdog, paid to do his dirty schemes. During the time when the three of them, including her, lived under the same house, same orphanage, and raised by one young woman. Those were the times she remembered fondly, she cherished. There were many children that came and went, but it was always the three of them that stayed. _It all worked out in the end._ she thought to herself, causing the manager to look at her with odd suspicion. It'll be something she'll tell them all someday.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

well, there's that! i've been wanting to write a "little" chapter that focused on the past of many people. but the truth of it is that, amidst the many arcs we have going on (there are really a lot, so hopefully i can tone it down a bit. it's getting a bit underwhelming.), kinda didn't have the opportunity. then, when i was having quite the writer's block a few weeks back, i remembered this. it works well as a "filler" chapter, don't you guys agree?

FUNFACT

the whole thing with Akasha and her step father is a loose adaptation of her lore, actually. how a king summoned a succubus and used her services that caused him to neglect his kingdom (and an uprising).

now, with Kunkka, here's a fun one. in DotA, Kunkka was Daelin Proudmoore, the father of Jaina who was the model for CM. felt it fitting to have him be the uncle of the sisters. and his sister (and their mother) being named Crestfall (or Cresty to him) is based off of CM's last name there.

and the objects from teh box Mortred found? well, they're items from the game! appropriated, of course.

REVIEWS

**NekoMimiMyawMyaw:** who knows. Magina never even knew he existed. and OD will definitely appear again.  
and looks like Viper's gonna be a pet.

** :** then you'll have a blast with what Spectre can do soon!

** :** she never was one.

** :** he did appear.

well, hope you guys had a blast with this one!


	87. Up to Date

**Up to Date**

It was a slow autumn day in the city of Elze, with the waning traffic as the numbers filed down with the draining orange sun. Even during the closing day, the previous hours had been one of the most lackluster moments when it comes to the city's activities. Things were no different in the Dark Moon coffee shop, as everyone went about their jobs in a leisurely pace. Slithice was content in humming a pleasant tune for her small audience, who reciprocated in kind. Mortred was helping Luna wiped the glasses and mugs, feeling no need to waste her ingredients for the moment. The waiter and waitresses occupied a vacant table for their own, taking turns whenever the patrons had an order or if the coffee shop's doors opened for new attendees. Selemene was holed up in her office while Sylla was nowhere to be seen.

"I don't trust this day." Mortred voiced quietly, so only Luna could hear her. The barista gave Mortred a quick glance before refocusing on the mug in her hand. Mortred pouted on being ignored. "Doesn't anything feel… _faux_ to you?"

"Everyday used to feel wrong to me, Mort." The baker sighed when Luna referenced her past. "But nowadays, not so much."

"Even on days like this?" Mortred asked.

"I'm sure something might happen," she responded, as if to humor the baker. "but it won't be anything substantial. Just relax, we hardly ever get days like this."

The baker groaned when Luna snorted. "Why do you always try to act aloof?"

"What are you talking about? I don't anymore." Luna retaliated.

"I know. Which is why I said "act"." She further explained.

Luna's now signature cackle was resounding in the room. "I missed being like that, now with you all being too friendly with me."

"O' course you'd want that, Moona." They heard Sylla say right behind them.

"Want something, old geezer?" the barista asked, keeping the same level of tone in her voice.

Mortred held up the plate of pastries that was on the counter. "Croissants?"

"Black." The custodian answered, as he plucked one of the offered pastries.

She let out an affirmative sounding hum as she prepared the ordered drink.

Then the entrance opened, and all few attentive eyes fell on the new patron that had entered. Wincing gasps filled the coffee shop as they laid their gazes on the grotesque scene of a woman limping along towards the barista counter, lacking an entire left arm as she left the blood dripping behind her. She looked bruised, abused and battered, and the Kevlar armor she wore looked in tatters. When she closed the doors behind her, she took off her helmet, revealing her relatively unscathed but drained face, slowly breathing. Her hair was bright orange, and her eyes were the same color, almost glowing. She began moving again.

Slithice, who was simply humming for her audience, rushed towards the woman. "Are you alright? Do you need the hospital?"

The woman shook her head and brushed Slithice off of her, steadily moving towards the barista's counter. Sylla sighed as he moved towards the entrance, and to the surprise and confusion of the patrons, began mopping the trail of blood the woman was leaving behind. Now the waiter and waitresses joined the singer but was held back as Slithice gave the woman room to maneuver.

"Wha'cha want?" Luna asked, completely unfazed. Mirana glared at the barista for her lack of tact, but it was ignored. The woman, with her ragged breaths, took out a piece of paper from her armor and handed it to Luna. The barista looked it over, chuckling beneath her breath. She turned to Mortred, who looked worried. "Looks like you're right Mort." She turned to Mirana and the rest, waving them away. "Get back to what you guys were doing. She's fine. Right Sylla?"

The others turned to the custodian as he reached to where the woman was sitting, staying at the spot as he mopped the constantly dripping blood. "Aye. Nothin's wrong wit the lass. Get back ta yer teas."

Everyone looked at each other uncomfortably, with Slithice approaching the custodian. "Sylla, you can't be serious…"

"I ain't." he responded. "But she is. Now get."

Slithice was clearly conflicted, but creating a scene where she knew that neither Sylla, Luna or even the woman was going to budge, she knew that it would be a wasted effort. But with her mood in disarray, she opted to return to the break room.

Mortred, now with the situation slightly dealt with, picked up the piece of paper that was handed to Luna, inspecting it carefully. "What is this, a recipe?"

"For a specific drink. Usually it's some other guy that orders it." Came her ambiguous answer.

"That drink…" off at the table, the four were huddled close together. "Isn't that what that armored guy usually gets?" Shendel asked, feeling unsure.

"Armored guy? What armored guy?" Magina questioned, being out of the loop from what the others knew.

Layana's body quivered as she remembered what the man was like. "You don't want to know."

"Although it is odd that it's not him, now." Mirana stated, her face contorting in discomfort. "I wonder what's going on."

"Well we won't have to wait long." Magina said with confidence. "I'm sure Lanaya will know of it soon enough."

Lanaya laughed awkwardly. "You overestimate me, Magi."

"I ain't overestimating shit." He retorted. "I know you and your ways."

"Hey, Luna's done with the drink." Shendel said before Lanaya could respond to his truthful insinuation.

The woman kept her eyes solely on the ominous looking drink, wrapping her hand around it. She seemed either to ignore the stares she was getting, or oblivious to it entirely. With a visible gulp, she chugged the drink down. The glass was empty the moment she placed it back down. Her entire body tensed, visible muscles contracting as the drink was taking noticeable effects on her entire form. The blood started dripping more profusely; her breath became visible in the air; the empty glass cracking from her closing hand.

"That tasted like death." The woman finally uttered as her body relaxed, the effects flushing out of her system.

Luna and Sylla chuckled, while Mortred giggled at the woman's response. The table however was still conflicted with the scene before them. "I don't think that drink was made for humans." Luna replied. The air around her hadn't changed, and it was starting to unnerve the few in the coffee shop.

"Are ye still even human, lass?" Sylla asked, a question that many would find doesn't make sense.

Those that were listening in on the conversation looked on with worry and trepidation. The woman looked into the palm of her hand, and the three around them could see her bulging veins, glowing orange. Very inhuman. "Maybe." She answered as she closed it to a fist.

"Oh, this is a surprise." Selemene's voice resounded, as the owner enters the room and approaches the man. "Was never expecting him to send someone else." She took the woman's hand, pulling her along. "Luna, Mirana. Come. Sylla, make sure no one comes close to the office." Her gaze trailed to Lanaya, showing the part-timer a smirk. "No one."

"Watch the counter." Luna said to Mortred as she left with their boss.

Mirana patted Lanaya's head when she stood up, making her way to Selemene's office. The walk for her was foreboding, flanking the woman with Luna by her side. Now that Selemene showed herself, that ominous air that they all felt wasn't just something in their heads, but an actual foreshadowing of things that she did not want to be pulled in to. She held this thought even when they finally entered Selemene's office, with Sylla mopping the blood trail before staying outside.

Luna and Mirana sat at the two seater sofa while Selemene led the woman to her desk. "So, what's your name?" she asked the woman.

The woman held her reply for some odd reason, her hand moving to grip her torn shoulder. "Ma-…" Mirana jumped in the sofa when the woman turned to the two of them, looking for something from their expressions. Aside from her own uneasiness, Luna was as neutral as ever, not giving anything away. It wasn't long till the woman turned back to Selemene. "Mathilda."

"Interesting name." was her simple reply, as she set her chin on her connecting hands. "Now why are you here, looking like CK?"

At the second mention of him, the woman's tired gaze turned serious, almost glaring back at Selemene. "After selling my soul, the Herald of Chaos has taken me in to be his courier and pawn. The months I have been in servitude had led to this physical change. And with this along came the responsibility to-"

"I asked for why you're here, not for your life story." Selemene said, stopping Mathilda's monologue. The woman let out what guttural sound, almost sounding like a growl. She turned to the two employees, glaring at them. Mirana almost leaped off of the sofa, but Luna glared back at the woman. "If you touch my girls, I'll send you back to CK in a body bag."

The woman returned her gaze back to Selemene, gathering her breath before continuing. "The business between the Siblings and the Architect has concluded, and now to act on their part of the bargain, he wishes for you to reactivate It."

"What "It?"" Selemene responded, tilting her head purposely. "There are many "Its" in the world."

Mathilda's face was now contorting into an amalgamation stressful emotions. "The Claszureme Gate."

"Oh that piece of junk?" Selemene responded with a scoff. "That must mean the Architect isn't here, huh? Hm…" She turned to her employees with an expectant look in her eyes. "Girls, can you go to the abandoned tower downtown tonight?"

"What do you need us to do, 'Mene?" Mirana asked for the both of them.

"I'll fill you in on the details later. It's a mouthful. Can you two do it?"

"Sure we can 'Mene." Luna replied, shaking Mirana's shoulder affirmatively.

"That's good to hear." Selemene said as she turned back to the woman. "Anything else?"

Mathilda began shaking her head. "No-" her eyes shot open as she clutched the side of her head, a striking pain coursing through her. Mirana approached the woman but was stopped by Luna halfway, returning back to the sofa. She coughed out blood, with more coming out as a tear from her left eye, but she would not show the pain she was going through to them. "Yes."

"And?" Selemene asked impatiently. "What is it?"

The woman looked angered at being silently ridiculed, with both Mirana and Luna having an idea as to why she was. "When the Enigma concludes his "negotiations" with General Ish'kafel, he will return and assist her" she glanced at Mirana at that moment. "with her problems."

"What does he want for it?"

"He wants to talk to the part-timer."

Selemene backs away and leans into her chair in thought, with the barista and manager looking surprised by the request. "Alright, I'll tell her."

"Is that alright, 'Mene?" Mirana asked cautiously. "Making this person talk to Lanaya for my sake…"

"It's probably not, but I'd want you to finally be rid of Atropos." Their boss reasoned. Mirana was conflicted with her emotions.

"Wouldn't that just make Atropos search for another victim?" came the dreaded question regarding the being.

"That is an unfortunate consequence, but it must happen for Mirana to be free of his grip." Selemene explained.

"The Guardian wants the elder known as Auroth to be part of your group as well as quickly as possible." Mathilda continued, amidst the worry of the Dark Moon.

"That's Io's business, not mine." Selemene replied seriously. "She should know that Auroth isn't in the best of health."

"She suggests that the next meeting taking place in the elder's home." Mathilda added.

Selemene opened her mouth to respond once more, but stopped midway as she thought of the idea. "That'll work, actually."

"Then that is all." Mathilda said, her body relaxing as she relayed all the news.

"Is there nothing from Ezalor? Or from CK himself?"

"Nothing."

"Then do you need a ride?" Selemene offered, but the woman shook her head again.

"I don't require such assistances." Mathilda said, taking a pencil from Selemene's desk. "Except this."

Then to the horror of Mirana and the shock of Luna, Mathilda struck the pencil into her ripped arm, plunging it deep at the center of her scapula. An audible crack was heard by all of them. Mirana was now holding onto Luna for support, as the older woman was taking this all in better than she was. The orange glow woman's eyes now brighter, with her veins almost popping. When she growled, her helmet manifested back onto her head, with her now fully armored. She roared again, casing an orange hellish portal to appear behind her. The heat resonated from the portal, singing the carpet and ceiling. The woman barely had time to react when she was pulled in by an unseen force, the portal disappearing as quickly as it appeared.

Mirana was sweating, her breathing becoming ragged at what had transpired right before her eyes. She was more perplexed by the seemingly calm reactions Luna and Selemene were showing, the latter looking at her with motherly concern. "You've never dealt with the Fundamentals, have you?"

"No 'Mene." Came her truthful response. "Whenever they come, I ignore them while they make their way to Luna."

"Well they do like Luna's drinks." Selemene replied with a laugh.

Luna's hand landed Mirana's head, tousling the manager's hair. "Maybe if you get better, you'll get to experience more of them."

"Oh please no, Luna. That woman was enough." Mirana answered, her voice shaking with fear.

"You might not have a choice soon. They like this place." Luna added, cackling along with the manager's quiet whimper.

"Ye done, 'Mene?" Sylla asked as he opened entered the room.

"Yes Sylla. Just in time too. Do you still have that blueprint I told you to hold onto?" she asked as he made his way to the pool of blood.

"Aye. Prolly catching dust." He answered as he tried to clean the carpet.

"When you're done with this, can you get it and hand it to the girls?"

"Sure, but it'll be late though." He said to them.

"It's alright if it's a bit late." Luna told the custodian. She turned to her boss, wrapping Mirana closer with her arm around the manager's shoulder. "We're daughters of the moon after all."

Mirana smiled, agreeing with the idea while Sylla just chuckled in the room. Selemene looked at them with an elated smile on her face. "Oh, I'm so proud of you two."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

eyo! back with more! shorter than the last few, but i think it's alright.

FUNFACT

i hope you guys remember where Mathilda came from.

also, the Claszureme is where Faceless Void came from. i found it appropriate to be used like this.

REVIEWS

**PsychicAce:** oh definitely. it'll come up soon with the sisters.

**danceofwisps:** fitting for his ever positive demeanor i say!

**Bznboy:** you got Glimmer, Solar and Necro right. the Refresher was in fact Octarine Core, while the cyan tear-shaped object was a Moon Shard.

as always, hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!


	88. Peace and Tranquility

**Peace and Tranquility**

Lanaya was troubled.

For a variety of reasons, and there were many that she's put on hold just so she could move on with her life. Yet things just keep piling on her. She still hadn't even got the chance to speak with her mother again after their short lived reunion. The only solace she has for the fate of her mother is Selemene updating her once a week about the situation. And Selemene herself isn't free from Lanaya's suspicions. Last week, despite the playful smile she flashed her way, the seriousness of the issue at hand was what kept her at bay. And that's without taking into account of Sylla making sure nobody neared the office. All in all, she needed to unwind and clear her thoughts.

And so when she voiced these thoughts to her friends, Yurnero offered to take her back to his home where she could bathe in the healing waters of the island.

"I'll be honest." Yurnero said as he placed her essentials beside her. "I wasn't expecting you to accept so readily."

Lanaya carefully entered the cold pond, shivering as the water embraced her lower body. She let out an extended breath of relief. "Why wouldn't I? I've always wanted to go to Masuku Island."

"This island isn't anything special though, aside from almost sinking." Yurnero replied, content with just having his feet in the pond. "I'd have to thank Dr. Rubick for paying for the expenses."

"You'd be the third wheel if he wasn't so busy this week though." Lanaya said, peppering her words with laughter.

"It was really generous of him to pay for everything. Any particular reason why?" he questioned unsurely.

"He's concerned for my wellbeing." Lanaya answered, sinking herself deeper into the pond until the water was up to her chin. "Hey, Yurnero…"

"_Nani?_" he replied as he took his mask off.

"Tell me about this place." Lanaya splashed her face with the pond's water.

"The pond? Or the island?" he asked her.

She tilted her head to face him. "Both would be nice." She clarified.

He drew his gaze around the landscape, with Lanaya following him, inspecting the flooded environment. They were in a secluded area near the small town Yurnero was from, with the lush rainforest filling their view. Below them, the town consisted of buildings and houses on stilts, separated by the water ways that rose as the year goes by. A scene worthy of a painting for those who first set their eyes on it, yet it was nothing but a nuisance to the locals.

"Well, centuries ago, these lands were rife with countless battles between the neighboring clans and daimyos. All vied for the territories that the others possessed. Blood was shed across the land. Except Masuku Island."

"Why is that?" Lanaya questioned, pouring the water over her head.

"Because the island provided no strategic benefit to any who controlled it and it did not yield any powerful resources. The only thing it did provide, however, was the beautiful land. Even then, this was a popular tourist spot." The masked man chuckled to himself, eliciting a confused stare from his friend. "It was just an unspoken agreement that the daimyos and shoguns would leave this land untouched. So the island inhabitants developed as a relatively pacifistic society."

His gaze turned upward to the orange and pinkish sky, unique only to the island and the ocean surrounding it. Lanaya was hoping there was a reason for that too. "But of course, the _Gunshin_ did not take kindly to that. Amongst the _Kamigami_, he has always been erratic. And thanks to the ongoing war, even more so."

"_Gunshin? Kamigami?_" Lanaya asked confusedly.

"The _War God_, one out of many _Gods_." With his feet, he splashed water onto his friend, giggles escaping her. "He didn't like that there are people that could live peacefully, but he couldn't influence the shoguns to spread the war across the ocean just for this small island. And so, he tricked the _Wadatsumi_\- uh, the _Sea God_\- into unleashing a tsunami on the island, intending on sinking it. Almost did its job."

"The people here seem to be doing alright." Lanaya commented.

"It's because the _Iyashino-shin_, **ahem**, _Boar God_ was there to help the people reestablish the lands they have lost. And not too long after, the wars ended. Presumably, the other _Kamigami_ had punished the _Gunshin_ for his horrid actions. The _Gunshin's_ last action was to curse the skies, to be forever bathed in this melancholic color."

Lanaya sank slightly deeper, showing only her face in the water. "What does the _Iyashino-shin_ do?"

"The _Iyashino-shin_ is the god of healing. He was what brought the island back to its paradise state." He waved his hand off, cutting off the story. "That's all that I remember of, when it came to the legend. I never really thought much about it, elders here can probably tell you more."

"Now how about this pond here?" Lanaya asked, not missing a beat.

Yurnero chuckled, letting his feet go a bit deeper into the pond. "It's a funny thing. Because of the _Gunshin's_ trickery, the invading waters allowed the many plants to evolve. This pond in particular has many herbs the gave birth to the healing qualities of the pond."

"It's mostly spiritual healing though. It'll take weeks of bathing to have a physical effect from the waters of this pond." Yurnero added quickly as he stood up and moved himself to the middle of the pond. "Not that we're in a hurry or anything, but to speed the process of the spiritual healing, would you like to unload?"

"Is my curiosity rubbing off on you?" she replied with a giggle, raising her head again. She pulled a towel from her pile and wrapped it around her in the pond.

"It's a nice change of pace, compared to hanging out with Jah'rakal most of the time." The both of them laughed at the expense of their trolly friend.

"How's your sparring sessions? Did he get better?" Lanaya asked as she stood herself up before sitting on the edge of the pond.

"He's gotten better. The years we've been doing have actually made substantial progress on him." He said with a laugh before facing his friend again. "Don't try to change the subject. This is your time to unwind, remember?"

Lanaya returned back in the pond, though only going chest deep. She laid her eyes on the distressed skies. "What does Rylai like to say about the coffee shop when you guys don't come along?" She asked as she picked up her friend's mask.

Yurnero brought his hand towards his chin, making an effort to remember what their blonde friend often said about the place. "She said there were always some weird people coming and going. And… I guess that's it."

"Ah that's an understatement, buddy." Lanaya said with a tired laugh. She threw the mask at Yurnero, who caught it effortlessly. "And it's getting crazier by the day, believe it or not."

"What goes on there anyway?" he asked as he reequipped his mask.

Lanaya squinted her eyes, as if judging Yurnero's integrity. "Do you believe in the "weird?"" she asked him.

"Define "weird."" He replied.

"Like the supernatural or the metaphysical. Stuff like that." She explained.

"If it happens to me directly, then sure." He answered her, still wondering where she was going with the subject.

"Well imagine that, but never really expecting it to happen on a day to day basis." She told him, further sinking in the pond. "And things are beginning to escalate even further."

"Are you saying that big things are coming?" Yurnero questioned.

She nodded, with her body visibly relaxing. "Yeah, I think so." She said with a small nod. "And for once, I don't think I'm looking forward to it."

"Wow, it's that crazy huh?" Yurnero made his way back to the edge of the pond, sitting himself on the grass. "So, what crazy thing is gonna come your way?"

"Have I told you, or anyone, that I reconciled with my mother?" she asked.

Yurnero looked down on his friend with a tilted head, wondering what kind of connection this was. "The mother who was part of some anarchist group? I don't think so. When did this happen?"

"A few months back, and things changed for them, for the worst." She glanced upwards to Yurnero. "My mother said the group's now acting more like the Cult of the Undying."

A disheartened chuckle escaped him, muffled by his mask. "And now we have two terrorist groups. What a world we live in."

"My mother's under protection of some underground gang who my boss trusts, but I haven't had a chance to speak with her yet after all this time. They said it was still too dangerous. So I put that feeling of unease aside and continued living. But now new things just keep dropping on my doorstep, and soon there's no way for me to not be a part of it."

She stood up abruptly, quickly tightening her towel before it slipped off of her. "My boss said the man that led me down this path wants to talk to me after he concludes with whatever business he has with 'Mene is done. And there's no way I can walk out of this." She sat down on the edge, bringing her belongings closer to her. "But you know what terrifies me?"

"What?" he asked her.

"You know Magina? The only guy in the coffee shop?" Yurnero nodded, prompting her to continue. "During the time, when he returned to work at Dark Moon, he said that the other people, our coworkers, had changed. And he said it all started from me. He likes to make note of it from time to time, but only now did I actually think on it. What if he's right? What if they changed because I appeared in their lives? What if I play an important role in whatever thing that is to come? It terrifies me deeply, such a thought."

Her shoulders slumped as a defeated sigh left her body, her eyes looking down onto her submerged feet. And there was only one thing in Yurnero's mind (unfortunately for Lanaya) when he thought of what he could do. He shook his head, mostly to himself for what he was about to do, then carefully planted his foot on Lanaya's backside. She looked up at him, wondering what he was doing, before she was pushed with force into the pond. And ungraceful splash resounded around them as she struggled standing up from what had transpired.

"What the hell was that?!" she called him out with a yell.

"Lanaya!" he responded louder, shutting her up from further words. "I don't know what's gonna happen to you, I don't even fully understand what you're going through right now. But whatever shit it is, just know that you have us. Your friends to be there for you. Your _tomodachi_." He stepped into the pond but stayed near the edge. "Everyone will always be right behind you in the dorms. Your coworkers, I'm sure, will not hesitate to keep you safe. Especially if they're anything like that barista. And we're not even getting to that doctor boyfriend of yours."

Silence permeated around them, as Yurnero waited for some sort of reaction from Lanaya. He was patient, knowing that this took time, especially from how abrupt his action was. He waited there, his legs submerged in the enriched waters of the pond. Then she snickered. Her face contorting into an unladylike expression, before she finally bawled out of control, landing on her rear as she laughed hysterically. Yurnero chuckled along, happy that this was the response he had gotten from her.

"Oh Heavens, what the hell was that?!" she asked again in a much more friendly and relieved tone. "And what in the world was that monologue?! That proclamation?! It's like a line from some cheesy boyish anime!"

"You're laughing now, but it eased your nerves, so I must've did something right." Yurnero retorted playfully as he approached his friend. He held his hand out and waited till she was ready.

As she was helped back up, she sighed as she looked around the pond. "So much for "peace and tranquility," huh?" she asked rhetorically.

"Sometimes reality isn't what it seems." He said as he made his way out of the pond. He continued sitting on the edge of the pond as Lanaya continued bathing in the waters. They stayed there, with him waiting patiently as the healing pond worked its magic on the now sated Lanaya. It wasn't till the skies got darker did they return to the town below, and the next few days their whole routine repeated itself till by the week's end did they finally return to Elze.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

phew, made it for the week! haven't been feeling well recently, so i had no energy to complete the chapter. but got it out now!

FUNFACT

**Masuku** is Mask in Japanese. Juggernaut's home is the Isle of Masks, so it being called Masuku Island seemed fitting.

**Iyashino-shin** literally means Healing God. but i think this might be an error and oversight on my part, because the idea why the Healing God was called the Boar God was i because i read somewhere that the Healing Ward was made in the Boar God's blessing. i don't remember where i read this, and i couldn't find it as i searched for it, but i hope it went as good as i hoped.

REVIEWS

**VergilXSparda:** with the way things are moving, she might end up as that soon.

**Xeno:** Abaddon might appear again if the war escalate close to the kingdom, but he will not be paired with anyone, least of all with Mortred (who has the hots for Purist.) and i've said so many times before, but Luna will not have any sort of romantic relationship with anyone.

anyways, that's that. hope you guys enjoyed reading!


	89. An Artist's Bounty

**An Artist's Bounty**

"I must say, the food here is amazing."

Gondar looked up from the book he was reading when the man before him spoke. With a thumb between the pages, he closed the book and stared at the food being devoured viciously, bits and pieces straying off the plate. He had to move his plate away from the spectacle, disgusted by what he was seeing. With a fork, he took a bite out of his own breakfast, slowly savoring the taste that indeed was delicious.

"You look like you haven't eaten in weeks." Gondar said to the man.

"I haven't. Been on the road most of the time, only eating random energy bars from gas stations." The man named Nevermore said, emptying the plate in but a moment. "Waitress!" he called out, holding the plate in the air. "A second helping, if you may!"

When the waitress took the plate from him, he directed his attention back to the bounty hunter, who had went back to reading. "I'm surprised you even managed to find me."

"Please, don't flatter yourself." Gondar replied, settling his fork down. "You leave your trail like bird droppings. Even as a tyke I could've tracked you down."

"Surely you're jesting." Nevermore replied.

"Did you perchance forget who I am?" Gondar finally placed a bookmark on the page he was reading, before fully addressing the wanted man. "I've honed my craft and skills for years, trained by my own father. Things like this are just child's play."

A waitress appeared, bringing with her Nevermore's order. "Your meal, sir." She said, placing the plate on his side of the table.

She turned and moved on, but Nevermor's hand flew out and grabbed her wrist, preventing her from going forward. She glanced at him with a confused expression. He flashed a devilish smirk at her, causing the waitress to flinch and glance away uncomfortably. "These hands are well taken care of, my dear. What is the reason for this?"

The woman was stuttering, clearly perturbed by the gesture but she felt something holding her tongue. She couldn't form a coherent response, even more so when his smile widened. She jolted when his hand was jerked away from hers by Gondar, pulling it away. "Go and leave, woman." He ordered, and the woman did not hesitate as she ran to the back.

Nevermore shook his hand free of Gondar's, sighing with displeasure. "Looks like I won't be having much fun with you around." He said as he started on his second helping.

"I don't see what the problem is. We've got bigger matters to focus on now rather than minor dalliances." Gondar said himself, finishing up his own breakfast.

"You seemed to be in a hurry when I told you why I'm out here." He took a spoonful of his meal as he talked with the bounty hunter. "You were quite content when all you did was following me around for the past few months."

"Concerning what we're supposedly dealing with, it's no time to at passively." He chugged his tea down and placed his book back inside his bag. "Finish that damned breakfast of yours, we've got no time."

The man looked clearly displeased with Gondar's insistence. He dropped his own fork and began cracking his knuckles. In an instant his hand was bathed in a dim blood red light. "You **do** know that, I _too_ once served the Demon of Kivuli?" His voice became low, almost bellowing out his words. "As much as I hated it, he **did** give me something that proved more helpful than I anticipated."

The threat did not go unheard of, but the bounty hunter barely showed any reaction, which irritated Nevermore more than he'd care to admit. Then he felt something poke his abdomen beneath the table. He glanced down, seeing the barrel of a gun pointed at him. He turned up to look Gondar straight in his eyes. "And need **I** remind you that I was there when we took down the _Marauder_? You think you can threaten me with some demonic nonsense?" A distinct click was heard from beneath the table, as Gondar released the safety, his intent clear for the _Artist_ to understand. "**Izh thok omoz.**"

This current standstill was unseen by the people around them, as their close proximity and secluded spot made them hardly standout. It lasted for a good few minutes before Nevermore chuckled, and the light dimmed away into nothing. Seeing that, Gondar retracted his gun and locked the safety back. "So you're familiar with Ozkavosh, huh?"

"Picked it up after our little run in with the Marauder, in fact." Gondar further explained. He pulled out a cigarette from his pocket and held it out to the Artist. Nevermore further chuckled at the request the bounty hunter had in mind, and decided to humor him. A miniscule ball of flame came to life in his hands, lighting Gondar's cigarette. "I'll be outside." Gondar said as he stood up, dropping his share of the bill on the table.

Unfortunately for the bounty hunter, he had to wait for close to an hour before Nevermore joined him. The particular man had a far too pleased look on his face, to the point that it got on Gondar's nerves. "I sincerely hope no one died."

"Oh please bounty hunter. I need for more time with my victims before I can actually be satisfied." Nevermore told him, his tone without shame and remorse yet instead filled with pride. He walked ahead, leading the both of them.

"I take it your murders have something to do with that "gift" of yours?" Gondar asked without a care.

"Asking questions like that can lead to your death, bounty hunter." Nevermore threatened once more.

As before, Gondar did not take the bait. "And I'll be sure to take you with me."

"Ah, talking with you just makes me wish that I had the chance to see the _Scourge_ before she went clean." Nevermore's tone took a relaxed turn.

"Why didn't you?"

"Lucifer would never allow me. He said that dealing with her wasn't worth all the trouble she'll bring you."

At that, Gondar chuckled himself. "He's not wrong about that. I'd even say she's still trouble even now."

"Really?" Nevermore responded with curiosity. "I might have to chat up with her sometime."

"You actually have before, can't believe you don't remember." Gondar's pace finally matched Nevermore's as they now walked side by side. "Although I'd still advice against it. She hates Angelo with a passion, so you might be roped into that mess."

"Figures." He stretched his arms, and to the surprise of Gondar, unbuttoned his shirt.

"I told you, I don't swing that way." Gondar said before the Artist.

"You asked what kept me ticking, right?" the taller man stopped in before the bounty hunter, showing his bare chest. Gondar's eyes immediately went to the odd pulsing tumor where Nevermore's heart should be. With each pulse, he could see silhouettes of people-shaped shadows, along with muffled cries of pain.

He could put two and two together. "I take it your murders have something to do with this?"

"Of course!" Nevermore admitted. "Without that bastard to fuel me, I had to rely on other methods. I realized early on that when I killed people, I would get stronger. But it wasn't enough." A sadistic smile grew on the murderer's face. "But if I dragged it out, for as long as possible, I would get more than I could imagine. Instead of a piece, their soul is absorbed the moment they drew their last breath."

"I wonder how the Marauder would be like, if he was no longer under the _Demon of Kivuli's_ shadow." Gondar wondered aloud. "I'm taking that, with how confident you are with showing me this, that I can't just simply stab you?"

"You thought right! My death would release all the souls I've collected. And let's just say, the repercussions would be, bombastic." Nevermore cackled like a madman, while Gondar thought how useful this information could be in the future.

A maddening tingle went up his spine, his instinct and reflexes warning him of what is to come. His hands immediately hovered over his gun and his combat knife, anticipating the attack. Nevermore caught on to Gondar's odd behavior, before he too noticed something odd about the area. How it was unnaturally quite. He brought out his short blade, now back to back with the bounty hunter. They were no longer surprised when robed men entered their view, encircling them.

"Friends of yours?" he asked with a jest.

"They wish." A diabolic red glow covered the Artist, more so on his arms.

One of the robed men moved closer to them. "**You are treading into forbidden lands, _Fiend_**." Half of the group brandished firearms, while the other half held their gauntleted fists up high. "**Leave now, or you will never leave again.**"

Nevermore's scarred face contorted into one of pure anger and malice. His free hand closed into a fist as if holding onto something tightly, and brought it in a downward swinging motion. What came after was an eruption of hellish fire that engulfed the brown earth, covering the man as he now writhed in pain and agony, his screams filling the silent air. Yet despite the torture he was being put in, Nevermore did not smile. He glared on the charring flesh, soon to be nothing but ash.

"Call me by that name, and I **will** burn everything to the _**ground**_." came his menacing threat to the cultists. Gondar noted different tones that emerged from the voice, his thoughts coming up with a likely possibility.

"For the Almighty Dirge!" the cultists screamed in unison, those who held their fists charging forward while the ones holding firearms backed away, searching for an effective cover.

Gondar rolled out of the Artist's attack range, not wanting to get singed himself. So while Nevermore had to deal with the raging mob closing in on him, Gondar had him covered by making his way towards the shooters. He fired his pistol and struck his target's knee, before kicking the downed man on his face, fully incapacitating him. Now all the gunfire was aimed at him. He took the time behind cover to load his concussive weapon, having it at the ready by his side.

He could see from the edge of his vision how Nevermore was handling his own conflict, but he'd rather not look at the inevitable mess. He took out a small smoke bomb from his pocket and crushed it in his hands, covering his surrounding area in a thick fog that the cultists couldn't see through. He was able to flank them through expert movement. He sneaked behind three of the cultists, flexing his fingers before he executed his action. And in a single moment, he sliced one of the cultist's hands off, fired off a concussive shot aimed at one of their heads, and quickly fired two shots into the last cultist's knees.

He rested briefly behind their cover, but knew he was close to being done. The last four were gunners were now on him, and he had to be careful. He waited for his window of opportunity; the four of them reloading; but that didn't have favorable odds. He waited, and waited, until finally the lull in the air clued him in. He vaulted over the cover and rushed onward while there were no bullets flying his way. He fired three shots at one cultist, downing him down in a cry of pain, and struck the other with his knife that struck through the chest.

Two left meant that the odds were finally in his favor, but he knew that charging in again was still a foolhardy. No more flashy tricks for him, so he aimed his pistol carefully. He only had five bullets left, as he'd rather not waste even more of them. A few bullets managed to scrape by his cover, the shrapnel cutting his cheek. He winced, but did not falter, and continued waiting. When one of the cultists had his head out on the open, he fired one shot that mattered, downing the cultist.

As he aimed at the last cultist, he instead came to the sight of the same hellish flame form before. Gondar didn't need to look around to know that Nevermore had dealt with his share. He stood up and brushed himself off as the Artist closed their distance.

"You barely killed any of them." Nevermore said, noting Gondar's methods of incapacitation.

"I'm a bounty hunter. Killing isn't mandatory." Gondar replied. "You finish the job if you have that much of a problem with it."

"Oh, I will. Don't you worry." Nevermore assured, and not too soon after the area around them was bathed in Nevermore's signature hellish flame. The heat was unbearable to Gondar, but at least he didn't have to bear it for long.

"Looks like you actually know where you're going." He commented, plucking out a cigarette to deal with the fading stress.

"Of course I do bounty hunter." Nevermore replied, lighting the second cigarette. He flashed an unnerving smile to the bounty hunter, who stared back resolutely. "Ready to move onward?"

"For the past hour." Gondar inhaled the cigarette, taking his time exhaling it. "I'd like for this little side-quest to be done with."

"Then let us move further south!" Nevermore said excitedly. "I'm sure these cultists had a vehicle they were using stashed around here."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

sorry for the month of silence guys! been a hell of a busy time for me. could only spare minute moments for continuation! this might not be the chapter any of you guys were expecting from such a long lull, but hopefully it'll quench you thirsts!

FUNFACT

we get to see the more demonic side of our resident serial killer, almost as a contrast to the _Marauder_ from previous chapters.

and the Ozkavosh that Gondar spoke, the closest intended meaning is "Go to hell."

REVIEWS

**Xeno:** yeah, we can see more of them soon.

**Light27:** thanks man! hope you enjoyed this one too!

and along with everyone else! thanks for reading, and don't forget to review!


	90. The Waiting Night

**The Waiting Night**

Mortred lay sprawled on the soft purple rug, toying with the two cats in front of her with her delicate fingers. Usually, the only thing that would take up her time in Luna's apartment was the no older Nova, now being even more playful and smitten with her. But for the past few days Mirana was staying over at their apartment. Unlike the last time the manager stayed over, the dreams that plagued her had nothing to do with why she was here. Instead, it had something to do with Selemene and the butchered woman that dropped by the coffee shop.

"Sure made an impression." She said aloud, remembering how Luna and Mirana returned to the main room without a single trace of the woman.

Her attention came back to the two cats before her, seeing how Nova, despite no longer being a little kitten, was still as playful as ever. And the purple cat was now trying with all her might to get Sagan to pay with her. Be it biting the tiger-striped white cat, swatting his tail, pawing his face or laying on top of the white cat. Yet the slightly overweight white cat seemed to ignore Nova's playful attempts, his eyelids always closed yet not actually asleep. The only kind of movement he did was flicking his ears, in the usual cat like manner.

"Time for dinner, Nova." Luna called out from the kitchen, prompting the purple cat to leave Sagan alone as she sauntered towards the tall barista.

"You're not gonna call Sagan out?" Mirana asked as she picked up the cat, placing him on her lap as she sat on the couch.

"He's not my cat." Luna responded. "Feed him yourself. Besides, I doubt I have any of the fancy food you feed him with."

Mirana pouted, which deepened when Mortred laughed as she sat herself up. "Hey, Sagan doesn't need fancy cat food. Right boy?" Mirana prodded Sagan for a response, but the overweight cat just yawned at his master, content in ignoring her. "Thanks a lot." she responded sarcastically.

"Loyal cat you have there, princess." Luna playfully jested as she groomed the feeding Nova.

"So are you two ever gonna tell me what you guys were doing?" Mortred asked, hugging her knees to her chest.

"Never." Luna said from the kitchen.

"Yup." Mirana added.

"_Merde_, guys. Come on. You went to that abandoned tower, then came back as if nothing ever happened." Mortred said whiningly.

"Look, Mortred." Mirana lowered her tone carefully, treading on a subject that caused her to receive a glare from Luna. The manager nodded at the barista, showing that she understood what she was about to do. "We don't even know what we did, okay? We just followed instructions that we were given when both Luna and I had already worked for one year in Dark Moon. All Selemene told us since then is to watch the tower if we want to see the "results" of our work."

"I'm thinking that it's some kind of gate." Luna said as she sat next to Mirana. "To some other dimension, I meant."

A perturbed look was visible on Mortred's face. "Is such a thing even possible?"

Both of the eldest employees looked at each other, a particular glint in their eyes before they nodded at each other, facing Mortred once more. "Come on Mortred, are you really questioning things like that?" Luna said, crossing her arms below her chest. The baker had to push down the slight feeling of envy that crept up when Luna inadvertently hugged her ample chest. "I've had dealings with demons; Mirana has a monster haunting her dreams; you had an encounter with a man capable of foresight and much more; even 'Mene is best friends with what can be called as gods."

Mortred was taken aback by the things Luna just said. Being reminded of Nerif by someone she thought had no idea of her past had visibly shaken her. "'Mene likes to keep us up with things like this." Mirana continued for them. "I try not to involve myself too much in all of it, all of this weird bureaucracy, because at times it can be very taxing. If it weren't for 'Mene, I don't think I can even handle an ounce of it."

"So here we are right now, before you. Presenting all of it." Luna leaned in closer, pulling Mortred's legs down and allowing the baker to breath. There was an odd feeling welling up inside of her, her body slowly hyperventilating. Then it all went away when she felt a soft weight on her lap. She looked down, seeing the purple cat comforting her. Mortred calmed down, smiling at Nova. "You still want to know more?" Luna asked.

Mortred looked back up, locking her gaze with the baker and nodded. "_Oui._"

Luna nodded herself a reply, standing up and making her way to the balcony of her apartment. Even as she leaned herself on the railing, she still looked like she towered over everything. Mortred's view from the sofa actually gave the illusion of that idea.

"'Mene told us that that thing is called the Clazureme Gate." Luna told her, pointing at the distinct tower beyond the apartment. "She was the one that actually made it, from a bunch of scraps she collected. Miss Aviliva, Shendel's landlady, was one of her friends that helped her build it."

"It has only been ever used once." Mirana said right after. "'Mene and her friends were, unfortunately, not around the area, so they weren't there to witness the gate being used. They had other matters to attend to."

"So essentially, no one involved, aside from the "people" who asked Selemene to build it, knows what that gate actually is." Luna continued for the manager. "We're all here just waiting to see what it would do. The princess over there had been staying over because she's too afraid of what it can be."

"At least this paranoia of mine is justified, Luna." Mirana said, defending herself. "You yourself know what those four can be like, right? They're terrifying."

"Yeah yeah, I get that, princess." Luna said with a chuckle. "That doesn't change the fa-"

A purple haze covered the city, illuminating the opened apartment. Whatever Luna wanted to say was caught at the tip of her tongue, as the three of them were silenced by the sight. A mixture of awe, fear, and bewilderment from the sight before them. The entire top of the tower was engulfed in a purple orb.

"Luna, what is that?" Mirana asked. She was now holding onto Sagan tightly, with Mortred doing the same to Nova.

The barista only shook her head as a response, rushing towards her room as she left the two on their own. Shuffling was heard from inside the corridor, and it wasn't long till Luna reappeared again, carrying a small set of binoculars. She went back to where she stood on her balcony, using the binoculars to get a closer look at what exactly was happening. The purple orb disappeared, revealing a giant of a man at the top of the tower only to Luna. This man was surveying the city with what could be seen as a measuring gaze. When his form faced her direction, she felt him stare at her. She glared back, not to be outdone, but before long the man turned on his heel and disappeared.

Luna turned to face the two inside while leaning back onto the railing. She sighed with a troubled look on her face, but smiled for them either way. "Something that doesn't concern us."

"Are you sure?" Mirana asked cautiously.

"We'll only ever be involved if 'Mene says so." She added. "And she's considerate enough to not involve you too, she knows you can't handle it."

"I hope so." Mirana said, with Sagan now trying to free himself from his grasp.

A light series of knocks entered the room, shifting all their attention. The two older women glanced at Mortred, asking her to answer for them. She carried out the silent order after placing Nova on the sofa, where the cat scurried off to Luna. She opened the door but was almost pushed off her feet when the person outside burst in.

"Hello neighbors!" came the excited greeting of the redheaded college graduate, holding on to an unopened bottle of wine. Her more reserved roommate was behind her, her hand shielding her face in embarrassment.

"Ah, Lanaya's seniors." Luna said as she reentered the apartment with Nova tailing behind. "What brings you here?"

"The both of us just got jobs and we wanted to celebrate!" Lyralei exclaimed, raising the bottle as high as she could. "We know you guys don't have any alcohol, so we took the pleasure to bring one of our own!"

Mirana was the only one who showed genuine surprise, as both Luna and Mortred had kept a straight face. These two girls seemed to have not noticed the purple light that shone over the whole city. "I don't really like having guests, but sure, come in." Luna said invitingly.

"You're gonna drink that too?" Mortred asked, confused.

"What? No." Luna made her way to her kitchen, leaning on her table. "You guys can get tipsy if you want, I have my own drinks."

"Can I have whatever you're having?" Traxex asked, approaching the barista while her roommate made herself comfortable next to Mirana and Sagan. Mortred brought out the cups for everyone out after she closed the door behind her.

"I have lemon lime and coke." Luna offered.

"The lime, please." Traxex said. "Both sounds like it'll kill my throat."

Luna let out a contralto chuckle. "I know."

"You'd drink that both but not alcohol?" Mirana asked with worried eyes.

"This doesn't get me drunk, princess." Luna said, approaching the table with her own mix.

"So what jobs did you guys get?" Mortred asked after a sip of wine.

"Oh, just small time jobs." Lyralei answered before Traxex could. "Low-paying internships to get us rolling."

"We thought it wouldn't be such a bad idea to get some work experience before we tackle our Master's." Traxex said for the both of them.

"Any big names we might know of?" Mirana asked them; finally speaking after the silence she kept since they arrived.

"I'm doing some management stuff over at St. Aghanim's, while Tra-chan is over at Shiva's Enterprise." Lyralei raised her glass up in the air. "Kanpai!"

The three women glanced at each other confusedly, while Traxex just groaned as she covered her lowered face. Luna was the first to shrug, raising her glass for the ginger. "Kanpai." Came a rather flat tone, eliciting giggles from everyone, more so from Mirana and Mortred from how both out of and in character of her.

"Kanpai." Everyone finally joined in, with the sound of glasses clicking each other. The two college graduates went about the rest of their night, oblivious to what had happened just before, most likely with the rest of the city. Mirana and Mortred were more eager to forget what they had seen just moments ago. But Luna, despite the cheerful and carefree air her two guests brought, would keep this memory at the back of her mind. She'd know that there would come a time where this would all come into place. And she'd follow this instinct, if only to know where she stood in all of this.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

a relatively short chapter, compared to the previous ones. just laying some ground work before i close off the active arcs we have here guys! (and hopefully the last two heroes are released in time)

our little Nova is also no longer a little kitten.

to go full circle, we'll be seeing Shendel, Slithice and Sylla next time.

REVIEWS

**Theburper:** the Marauder is Terrorblade.

well, that closes it off. hope you guys enjoyed this!


	91. An Unaccounted Visitor

**An Unaccounted Visitor**

The Frostivus season was upon the city of Elze once more, the streets being filled by those with plans with their loved ones, either in the city itself or in a faraway land elsewhere. Festive lights adorned the many buildings, its infectious spirit being felt by all those across the city blocks. Tight traffic, booked seats and planes running late. The few things people would say when they are reminded of this festive holiday and anything accompanying it.

And all of it was confusing to the Self. It had been in a rut of a tavern before the War would spark out of control, yet thanks to an untimely intervention, it had found itself sent someplace else. But where is this place, the Self thought to itself, as it walked through the crowded streets, covered by its brownish-purple cloak. It needed to find answers, to know what this place was, and leave before the War ends. Before the Self could stop both of them. The Self hurried its steps, hoping to find a conclusion to this unnecessary detour.

But simply walking this concrete path proved to be more troublesome than it had thought, as the natives were too engrossed with themselves, seemingly nudging and shoving it every time they would pass by. The Self was not in the mood for the natives' quirks; the Self did not have the patience to deal with this. No. The Self needed to do something that will keep the natives' attention long enough so it can explore the city in peace. The Self, using its unhidden fingers, called forth a lesser fragment of itself, conjuring it near a wall of one of these large buildings. And then the Self waited.

The pedestrians still carried on with their lives, seemingly ignorant of what had appeared. Though only at first. The first of them who noticed the wraith was stunned, eyes wide as he stared at it in silence, unable to form coherent thoughts to process what he should do next. The next person gasped in fear. Then the next one screamed, causing a chain reaction of people backing away from this wraith. To their horror, the wraith started moving. Not to them, but towards the street. The first car that noticed the wraith stopped midway, the abrupt action causing the cars behind to crash into each other. Which then caused the first car to come into contact with the Wraith. Then it exploded in a surge of electricity, the closest of people being pushed back by the initial pulse. Then any and all electronics in the vicinity shut down.

Panic and chaos ensued, unbefitting of the Frostivus season. And all of this was exactly what the Self wanted. People no longer hindering it, as they were caught up by this minor distraction it had caused. It continued its trek, following where it had left off. But not all plans go smoothly. The Self felt a pair of hands land on its shoulders, once again halting its path. The Self cursed silently as it was turned around to face said person. And now before it stood a large burly man, flanked by a lanky looking woman with an intimidating look. The both of them wore the same looking uniform. Guards, the Self guessed. A reality that further complicated matters for it.

"You're in an awful hurry." The woman accused. "Come, we need to ask you a few questions."

The woman's tone indicated that it couldn't talk out of it, and the man's hold on its shoulders proved discomforting. But the Self was still not having any of it, shaking its head. "The Self has no time for this." It told her, its deep voice causing the woman to look stunned for a brief second. "The Self needs to return before it all ends."

"Bud, you have all the time in the world." The man said, his voice softer than the woman's. "So why don't you come with us?"

"No!" the Self said forcefully, pushing the man's hands off of its shoulders. By now, a few of the pedestrians had stopped what they were doing, looking at the new scene that was developing. "The Self will not be stopped by you lesser creatures!"

The woman had quickly drawn her gun and aimed it at the Self, while the man was holding his hands up, trying to defuse the situation. "We will not hesitate to use force. Put your hands behind your back and comply!" the woman commanded.

The Self waved its hands up in the air, causing the people around to further back away in panic. But before even the woman could fire her gun, the Self gasped. White orbs widening, before it collapsed on the ground before the two City Guards, right in the middle of the sidewalk. The two Guards were confused, as how this supposed dangerous man just dropped dead right in front of their eyes. The woman quickly holstered her pistol as she made her way towards the body, immediately crouching down beside it.

"Careful." The man said as he followed up behind her. "He might explode."

"Sure, but I don't think it'll actually hurt us." The woman said observantly. "That weird ghost thing that popped up was just an EMP of some kind. I don't think he'd be any different."

The woman heaved the body, flipping it over. The sight that graced their eyes shocked both Guards, not expecting what the body was.

"Is that… an android?" the man asked as he too crouched down. "With a fishbowl for a head?"

"I'm not sure." The woman replied. She grabbed the body's arm, heaving it up and down. "It feels organic. If this is some robot, it's a damn **good** one, if I do say so myself."

The man stood up, sighing exasperatedly. "Man, Captain Slardar's not gonna be happy with this."

"You're right about that." The woman responded as she too stood up. Her eyes landed on the nearby pedestrians, seeing them look at the scene too intently. She shook her head and sighed, glancing over her partner to see that he too shared her sentiment. Both of them held their hands up and motioned the pedestrians to back up.

One the other side of the road, the Self shook its head, clear dissatisfaction visible on its eyes. "Wasted time for the Self's failure." It commented as fragments of the Self's self returned to its own being.

It had wasted too much time already. It needed to get moving as quickly as possible. So the Self, once again, continued its journey. Leaving the busied street and on to wherever forward was taking it. There must be someplace where the Self can find answers. There must be something, _someone_, that can help the Self. A jingling bell halted its brief pondering, coming from its side.

The Self slowly turned its head to see the source of this bell. The Self's lowered eyes connected with a bell that was attached to a handlebar. That handle bar had a basket on the front, along with being connected to a white colored frame. This frame had two wheels and a retractable leg. An actual leg was right next to the retractable one, and the Self's eyes followed this leg up to see the frame of an old man. A _familiar_ looking old man.

The old man chuckled, giving the Self a hearty laugh. "Hello Warden."

The Self's eyes widened, as it finally recognized who this person was. "Keeper. A Fundamental, trapped, here as well?"

The Keeper laughed at it, seemingly amused. "I am not the same person you know of, Warden." He patted the empty spot behind him. "Come, I'll take you to the others, where we can talk about this predicament of yours."

The being that was called the Warden laid its eyes on the tiny spot the Keeper had shown, and then glanced back at said Keeper with a disbelieving look on its face. The Keeper merely chuckle. "You'll fit. Don't worry about it too darn much."

The Warden nodded, though still not confident, as it carefully brought its leg over. The seat was uncomfortable, meant for people smaller than it. Not waiting for its response, the Keeper pedaled onward, towards the destination that the Warden still did not know of.

"It's like a small horse." The Warden commented, having difficulty in keeping its hood over its head.

"What, you mean a pony?" the Keeper replied, laughing as per usual.

"Your laughter annoys the Self." It stated, causing only more laughter to spill from the Keeper's mouth. The Warden sighed, now keeping to its quiet self, while the Keeper transported them through the city streets.

The Warden quickly took notice of how large the city actually was as the sped through the streets and parks on the bicycle, silently thanking the Keeper for his timely appearance. If it weren't for the Fundamental, it would still be wandering aimlessly around the city, getting caught up in more of the natives' antics. Even more so than it wanted to deal with. The Warden sighed, just thinking of the mess that it would no doubt be in if it had to walk the damned streets of this city.

It soon found that their journey landed them in what appeared to be the city's harbor, with many docked and docking ships, no doubt filled with even more of the natives. The Keeper maneuvered the maze of warehouses, slipping by the few people that were unfortunate to work on this day. He kept cycling deeper, until the Warden felt like they were somewhere in the middle of the collection of warehouses. It came to no one's surprise when they finally stopped before one. The Warden could hear sounds coming from inside it. The sounds of crates breaking and steel bending. The Keeper simply shook his head as he parked his bicycle.

"Still with this regime of his." Ezalor commented, the meaning of his words lost on the Warden.

The Warden refrained from commenting, choosing to wait for the Fundamental to lead it inside. Ezalor gave it a simple smile, as he led it inside through one of the side doors. The loud creaking noise of the metal door resounded through the harbor, only dampened by the already busy activity. But the noise echoed inside the relatively empty warehouse, signaling their arrival. A man dressed in a dark purple trench coat was the first to acknowledge their welcome, but he had a bewildered look when his eyes landed on the Warden.

"Hello, brother." Ezalor greeted, moving to stand beside him. The Warden kept a short distance from them, standing at their rear.

"How is the Warden here?" the Enigma asked, his own concerns lay on other things.

The Keeper chuckled, shrugging his shoulders at his brother. "I have no idea. Maybe we'll find out soon enough."

Chrow stayed his tongue, offering no verbal response to the Keeper's words. He glanced at the Warden, nodding at it, and then nudged his head at the direction they were facing. The Warden followed the indicated direction, seeing some form of quarrel going on in the middle of the warehouse. A heavily armored man, which he recognized as the Chaos Knight based on the circumstances, was deflecting and reflecting any and all the attacks a battered, one armed woman was throwing at him. Blood dirtied the floor, spreading red all over the otherwise grey warehouse. Deeper in the warehouse and also observing the fight was a pale looking woman dressed in a white dress-robe. She appeared to be floating in a seating position, as if sitting on an invisible chair. Based on the other three that it had recognized, this meant that this person was Io. But the Warden was confused, as to why this Fundamental had taken a form with an obvious looking gender.

"Come!" the Knight goaded the woman, his hands gestured along. "Give me all you've got!"

The woman wailed, running at the Knight with her arm pulled back. When she struck him, it barely gained a reaction from him, despite it capable of breaking bones of those like what she was before. He merely shoved her back without much effort from his part, causing the woman to topple down onto the ground.

"Is this all you're capable of?!" he took one step forward as the woman tried to get back on her feet. "If all you are is a worthless weakling, then I will return the rightful death that you were fated for!"

The woman, now standing up, was heaving a slow and steady breath. Her eyes closed, her fist clenched, and a face of utter fury slowly formed on her tranquil face. Her eyes flashed open, showing the angered orange orbs that glowed with power. And with this rage, ethereal fire started pouring out of her closed fist, now shaking as she held it together. She wailed louder than before, charging straight to the Knight with her fist pulled back. But this time, when it connected with him, it resulted in a personal explosion between them, sending him flying to the crates that lined up around them.

Both Ezalor and Chrow clapped their hands, though their actions seemed to go over the woman's head, her pupils dilated thanks to the energy coursing through her system. Her ragged breathing was also visible in the open air. With the fight now over, Io approached the woman, floating to the woman's rear. She placed her hand on the woman's shoulder, causing the woman's body to visibly relax. The woman's eyes blinked tiredly, with Io pulling her head to her chest. The Guardian lowered herself to the floor, on her knees as she pulled the woman down with her. She patted the woman's head comfortingly, cooing the spent woman.

"It's okay. You can relax now." Io said, her wispy voice echoing in warehouse. The woman slowly nodded, her eyes slowly closing. And then she fell into a slumber.

The other two siblings walked over to them, with the Warden tailing behind. Nessaj had gotten out of the mess of crates that he was thrown into, also moving towards Io. But his attention wasn't on her.

"The Arc Warden. Here." He said, noticing the Warden behind them.

"Welcome to our world, Zet." Io greeted as she made the woman lay her head on her lap. "What brings about this occasion?"

"Something beyond his control, apparently." Ezalor answer for it.

"The Self is relieved to find others also sent here." The Warden said, though the relief of his words died a bit when he noticed the four siblings glance at each other.

"We are not the Fundamentals that you know of, Zet." Io told him with a more serious expression. "We are merely counterparts in the greater multiverse. We might share the same aspects of our counterparts, but we are all around different people from them."

"We also possess a lesser power of what they are capable of." The Enigma said. "Though to these mortals, we might be called gods."

The Warden's shoulders slumped, crestfallen at the reality. "The Self needs to return at once. Too much is at stake."

"We understand, and we'll help you try to get back there." Ezalor said.

"But how did he get here in the first place?" Nessaj asked to the rest. "What cause this disturbance? Do you remember?"

"The Self does not, unfortunately." Zet answered. "All the Self remembered was a bright explosion in the city all the other Heroes were in."

The four siblings assessed the situation in contemplative silence. Not a word was uttered, not a glance shared, but they all worked together to solve this problem that the Arc Warden was in. An odd and peculiar predicament that they themselves have not experienced yet. The Knight was the first to come to some form of conclusion.

"I will try to contact my counterpart. Maybe he can tell me what is going on." Nessaj said as he lowered himself, picking up the unconscious woman off of Io and placing her over his shoulder.

"I will approach Auroth and see if any of her books have an answer." The Guardian said as Chrow helped her up. "If that fails, I might have to approach Nerif."

"I will head over to the Dark Moon coffee shop and ask Selemene to help opening the Clazureme Gate again. It would take a lot of resources though, after opening it not too long ago." The Enigma said, voicing his option.

"And I will keep the Warden company so he does not have to be alone in this foreign land." Ezalor said as he shook Zet's shoulders with his hand.

"Can we afford all of this, with everything else already planned out?" Chrow asked, bringing forth the various things they have orchestrated.

"Most likely not." Nessaj said bluntly. "Which is why we must make haste and find a way to send the Arc Warden back."

"Are there any other people sent here?" Zet asked.

"None. That is the only thing we are certain of." The Keeper answered.

The Arc Warden stood in silence as it contemplated its new situation. It was moving in the right direction, but even that was an uncertainty. Pleased nonetheless, a new question popped up in its head. Centered on a revelation of what it had learnt of the reality of things. "What is the Self's counterpart like?"

The three male siblings all turned their gazes on their sister, who was grinning at the Warden. "Your counterpart does not exist, Zet." She told him. "Not yet, anyways."

"So the Self is not a Primordial being here?" it continued.

"No. The closest to us is merely the Architect." Ezalor explained.

The Warden gave a look of confusion to the siblings. "Who is this Architect?"

"His counterpart would be known as the Worldsmith." The Enigma added. The Warden nodded, now knowing who they meant.

It stayed quiet again, its gaze locked to the floor. An audible sigh could be heard coming from it, as it raised its head up to look at all the siblings in their eyes. "Very well. The Self will wait. Thank you." Zet said genuinely.

With a hearty chuckle from the Keeper beside him, a curt nod from the Enigma to the side, a charming smile from the Guardian before him, and no visible reaction from the Knight, Zet would leave his situation in their hands. All four siblings, seeing the slight content in the Warden, glanced at each other with their respective duties in mind. A simple acknowledgement. And then bright lights filled the warehouse with the blinding colors of dark purple, blazing orange and pure white. Within a second that came after, the lights disappeared, along with three of the siblings.

Ezalor found a simple crate to sit on, waiting for what the Warden would do. Zet, seeing that its fate lay in the hands of these non-Fundamentals, would rather wait. And so, with that in mind, it sat down where it stood, the glowing white orbs that served as its eyes disappearing from its face. Ezalor didn't mind this development, ready to support the Warden in whatever situation it finds itself in.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

hello everyone! man, it's been a long while of silence, hasn't it? but don't worry! i'm not gone! around a few weeks ago, i was done with papers concerning college, but was drained from it. every time i wrote a chapter, it wasn't up to my standards, so i'd just scrapped them. i needed to regain some form of flow, so i did some short stories for other things. and, with the arrival of a new hero, i think i'm back!

also, when this fic reaches 100, i'm planning on setting it to complete (and hopefully close all arcs around that time). that doesn't mean this story won't be updated anymore, just that it'll center less on huge arcs and more on smaller things that go on at the same time.

FUNFACT

Mathilda appears again, completely different from what she was like in her first appearance.

and in case people didn't get it, this Arc Warden is **not** this story's Arc Warden, but the actual Arc Warden from the game-verse itself. this story's Arc Warden will appear in the future soon.

REVIEWS

**VergilXSparda****:** yes it was!

**Xeno:** ta da! here he is!

and again, with this, hoped you guys enjoyed this chapter!


	92. Enlightened Path

**Enlightened Path**

"All alone up here?"

Magina flung his head backward, turning to face the intruder that had somehow crept up behind him. He calmed down upon seeing that this intruder was none other than the younger sister of his colleague. Trailing behind her was a bespectacled, black uniformed girl from the Broodmother Foundation. Both of their names escaped him for the moment, much to his chagrin.

"Oh, you're uhm… Shen's kid sister." He glanced to the girl behind. "And her friend."

"Elodie." The young girl said to him with a frown.

"Noire." The black clad girl said with a giggle.

"Right." He coughed, awkwardly. He turned his gaze back to the city of Elze on the horizon, the breathtaking view that could draw out anyone's breath. He turned his form back to the girls, careful to hold on to the rails, so he wouldn't fall off the edge. "What are you two doing on Vegrandis Peak?"

Elodie smiled warmly, glancing to her friend Noire, whose smile was even wider. "We're just having a little trip for the orphanage!" she exclaimed. "Everyone's excited to be here!"

The expression on Magina's face fell, realizing the company that had arrived. "Oh, _great_." he replied with a bored tone.

"We can tell everyone not to come here, if you want?" Noire offered, not hoping to offend the man.

Magina debated in his head on whether he should take Noire up on her offer, or concede and leave the orphans of the Foundation to do whatever they wish. The former won over the latter. "That would be appreciated."

"Okay, I'll tell the others!" Noire said, turning around and walking back up the path. Elodie was still standing right in front of him.

"Do you want something?" he asked her, wondering why she was still right before him.

"There are others here too." She said cryptically. He groaned, louder when a grin grew on Elodie's face.

Looks like he had to play her game, he thought to himself. "And who are they?" he asked the obvious question to her.

"Sis, Luna, and Sylla." The young girl answered. "You want me to call them?"

"No please." He replied earnestly. "I'd prefer to keep to myself."

"Suit yourself." Elodie said in a singsong voice, turning to leave the waiter to his lonesome.

Magina sighed, as a nagging feeling at the back of his head would lead him to believe that the younger sister would not follow through that wish of his. He returned his gaze back to the horizon, enjoying the quiet peace and solitude before any of his coworkers would come by, no doubt to pester him on why he was out here all by himself. So he let the content inside him well up before it would come back shattering down, as he'd expect.

Yet he noticed that time passed onward. More time than he'd expect. He would've thought that Shendel would be quick on her feet, wondering why he was out here. Sylla too, more so for Selemene's sake than either of theirs. Luna, he would hazard a guess and say that she'd most likely just wait around to tease and prod him more, just like back at the coffee shop. So why weren't they here yet? Why weren't they on him, like he had waited?

With a sigh, he turned to face the path behind him, and-

Came face to face with a smirking Luna, her weight on one leg, an arm on her waist, and the other hugging her stomach. "God damn it." He grunted beneath his breath.

"So happy to see you like this." The older woman commented.

"I expected you to come sooner." He told her, seeing her defy his expectations.

"Which is why I waited, Magi. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to see this _lovable_ face of yours." The barista said as she moved to Magina's side, patting his head in an affectionate manner.

"Since when the hell did you become so smitten with people?" he asked confusedly at her.

She sighed and shrugged, not amused with the answer herself. "Been hanging out with the, oh so _magnanimous Queen,_ too much."

"What, you joined her in some regal ball? Some high class tea party?" he asked, poking fun at her despite knowing that would be trudging into dangerous territory.

"You wish." She bellowed a deep laugh, an infectious one as he found himself laughing along with her. "Akasha's not one for that kinda crap."

"What is the Queen one for then?" Magina asked.

"Would you believe she was one for intrigue, deception, and casual torture?" a horrified expression formed on Magina's face, and he wasn't sure if Luna was simply pulling his leg, or being her casual blunt self. She looked at him, grinning. "I'm not joking. That's what she was like when we used to run together."

"What kind of person was she like?" he asked, unable to keep himself from sounding like a certain part-timer.

"Like what the stories and rumors say about her."

"Damn. That's crazy…"

"Good, now that you're all loosened up, why the hell are you all by yourself here?" he froze amidst his own laughter; lead to Luna's easily laid out trap.

"Can we just, not? Please?" he replied tiredly.

"I'll stop asking, but I'm not gonna leave." Luna said, making herself comfortable by leaning her upper body on the rails.

He sighed dejectedly, leaning away from the barista. Troubled and disturbed he was at his current predicament. "You're never one to offer your ear, Luna."

"I'm not." She agreed.

"Even back then, the only person you'd ever do that was Mirana, and that was mostly for Selemene, right?" he continued.

"Mhm." She agreed again.

"So why are you so upfront about it all now?" he was mostly just trying to hold off answering, and he was certain that she knew his intentions. "Why are you way more approachable than before?"

The barista shrugged, her arm now leaning on the waiter. "Thank Lanaya for that." She left it at that, returning to leaning on the railing. Magina was left to himself. In his mind, he debated on whether he should just turn around and leave the barista, suffer whatever wrath that she might incur on him. But glancing back to the area where the path came from, seeing the heavy amount of activity that was brewing thanks to the orphanage.

He sighed in defeat, turning back and joining Luna. Once again, her arm swung around him. He's still a bit uncomfortable by this close and intimate action from the barista, having never been the focus before, but here he was.

"You're great friends with Slithice, right?" Luna nodded silently. "Does she still keep up with what the City Guards are going through?"

"Probably." Luna replied. "It's not really easy for her to just stop."

"Does she know anything that's been going on with the Cult?" the barista glanced at the waiter, raising her brow at him.

"Which cult are you talking about?" she asked him.

"Cult of the Undying." He replied after a short pause. "They've been bothering me."

Luna straightened herself, now fully facing Magina with a hard and concerned expression on her face. "Are you in any sort of danger?"

"No, but it's not the same." The waiter replied. "Ever since that attack at the clinic, and when those agents questioned me, it's like this whole thing is orchestrated."

"I don't think Slardar's going to expend any manpower to do that." She told him skeptically. "Although, if you're really concerned, you can talk to 'Mene."

"Why?" he asked confusedly.

"Because she's friends with Agent Gorgon." Luna explained. "I'm sure 'Mene can find out things, especially if it's not classified information."

"But that's another thing." The waiter shook his head tiredly, moving a short distance away from the tall barista. "I feel like, if I try to ask about this, I'd just end up in a situation that I got out a year ago. I feel like I'm just gonna get roped in to this whole mess."

"Oh, Magi." She tsked at him, like a teacher scolding a student, whilst shaking her own head. "You were always part of the mess. It takes a considerable amount of effort just to get out of it."

"You'd know of this situation?" he asked her.

"Of course. I've lived it." Magina had an unsure look on his face, knowing that by now he was the last person in the coffee shop to not know of Luna's past. While to others this was just a public secret, to him this was about to be unknown territory. "What, cat got your tongue?"

"Uhm, not really." He turned his gaze away from the tall woman, hearing her snicker at him. She really has changed. Gone was the intimidating presence that would glare at anyone who'd ask her about her past. Maybe he should move on to. "Where do I start?"

"Guess you need some closure. Trust me; I'm certain 'Mene can help with that." He noticed Luna's form disappearing from his peripheral, which he immediately followed. She was making her way back up the path. "You know where I live. Or call me up, when you're ready to talk to 'Mene." She said without stopping, casually returning to the field trip in the area before.

He sighed, now wondering when he would take up on said offer. It was just a matter of time. It's especially difficult, since Selemene is still not wholly pleased with his presence thanks to his actions from long before. It was an unpleasant feeling to be the black sheep of the coffee shop, especially in the eyes of his own boss.

"You really **are** here." A different tone of voice broke through.

"Hey Shen." He responded, not bothering himself to visibly greet his coworker.

"You're being really moody, Magi." She said observantly. "Even more so than usual."

Now she got his attention, causing him to turn his gaze upon her. "More so?"

"Yeah. Not as much as how I was before, but almost close." She laughed upon seeing his scrutinizing face.

"Ugh, that sucks." He replied absentmindedly, before his eyes widened.

"Yeah, tell me about it." She said with a smile, calming Magina down from the fear of insulting her.

"So what's new with you?" he asked, hoping to bring the conversation away from himself.

"I have another gala that I have to attend, in my _sister's_ place." Her face contorted in anger for a brief moment, before she shook it off.

"Alone?"

"No. She's sending my ex here to accompany me." He chuckled at the news.

"He's **still** you ex? It's been a while, Shendel." He replied cautiously.

"Not long enough for me, Magi. Not. Long. Enough." She sighed dejectedly, with Magi now worried that he might have caused her distress.

"Down for a round at Panda's Brew?" he was in the mood for a drink himself tonight, so he figured that he should invite her as well.

She chuckled. "Sure, why not? As long as nothing happens later in the night."

He sighed embarrassedly. "Believe me, even if a drunken stupor would lead us somewhere, I'd be too far gone to be functional."

The both of them shared a hearty laugh, moods already lightening up. "Alright, Magi." Shendel said as her laughter died down first. "I'll meet you there."

"See ya." He replied, waving at her as the waitress made her way back.

As Shendel walked up the path, Magina's view landed on Sylla that was standing there, arms crossed as he eyes him wearily. Magina gulped, intimidated by the custodian. He gave the old man a shy salute of respect, hoping to appease him. Seeing Sylla nod and turn back, now walking side by side with Shendel, he let out a breath of relief. Now the only thing left for him to do was just to wait the whole situation out, and hope for the best before things get too out of hand.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

another relatively short chapter compared to the last one. a few more before we reach 100!

sadly, no new funfacts here for the moment. maybe we'll get more next chapter!

hope you guys enjoyed this one!


	93. Glorious Morning

**Glorious Morning**

Dawn broke in the city of Elze, shining the city in its warm golden glow to start their days off. An emerald roofed mansion in particular shone the most, the reflecting light almost bathing the surrounding neighborhood in an olive green coat. A testimony to the grand magnitude of the mansion that serves as the crown of one of the high-class districts of the city.

Inside, an elderly woman was walking down the stairs, a hand on the railing as she held herself with an elegance that stayed strong since her youth. She was dressed in a gown of cyan and crystal white, with a headband that had tiny goat ears decorating it parting her graying hair. Unremarkable by most standards, yet she stood out for her natural beauty and her immense kindness. Questions arose on the day the city's eyes began seeing her by the side of the late Aghanim, but their doubts were quelled and many hearts were won. A perfect foil for the well renowned Doctor, in hindsight a match made in heaven. And although she was never officially a noble, it did not stop the people from ever referring to her as Lady Vyse.

Upon landing on the ground floor, a maid that had waited for her greeted Lady Vyse with a respectable curtsy. Upon being acknowledged with a nod, the maid then proceeded to wrap a shawl around Lady Vyse.

"The Young Lady is in the kitchen again, Madam." The maid reported, dusting off the shawl. She bore a serious, flat expression did not show or even hint at any kind of emotion.

Lady Vyse laughed warmly, no longer surprised at the news. "So very restless, that one. Did you offer any sort of help?" she asked her maid.

The maid shook her head at the question. "I merely stood by and watched, Madam, as I waited for you."

The Lady laughed a little more heartily than before, expecting no less from her maid's behavior. "Oh, Mordi. You don't need to be so cold to strangers. And she's not even a stranger anymore, you know that."

"I do, Madam." The maid replied respectfully. "But the Young Lady seemed to prefer the isolation in the morning."

"I think it's more the fact that she prefers the quiet rather than the isolation." The Lady said, wrapping the shawl comfortably tighter around herself. "Come, let us keep her company."

"Yes, Madam." The maid followed suit behind Lady Vyse as the elderly woman started walking towards the kitchen.

The quiet pitter-patter of their footsteps filled the magnanimous yet empty emerald mansion, the echoing sounds bouncing off the walls of their halls. Unlike most of the dwellings in the district, the mansion of the late Aghanim and his Lady Vyse had sparse management. Consisting of only two security guards for each time of day, a grounds keeper, the aforementioned maid and an even younger maid that still had her education to complete, the barebones work crew was something of an anomaly to their neighbors.

When they reached the entranceway of the kitchen, they stopped right before it. They could hear the dampened sounds of the clattering of utensils and the bubbling boiling liquid inside. Lady Vyse walked closer, peering from the side with just her head visible, if only Lanaya had her back turned to notice. The maid was less overt, making her way inside without announcing her arrival. Her audible footsteps were enough to alert the college student.

"I'm sorry Mordi. I'm almost done." Lanaya said as she stirred the pot before her. The maid stayed her tongue, simply staring at Lanaya's backside.

When a few seconds had passed, she coughed. Lanaya wiped her hands off as she turned around. "Alright, I'm fini-" her eyes widened when they made out the hidden form of the Lady of the mansion just outside the kitchen. "Lady Vyse! I'm sorry, did I awake you?" Lanaya reacted by immediately bowing for the elderly woman.

Lady Vyse chuckled amusedly, now showing her full self to the room. She walked over to the college student, her hands moving to hold Lanaya's shoulders. "Now now. I'm the last person you should ever feel the need to be so formal with." She said as she brought Lanaya up straight.

With her face blushing slightly red, she nodded as a small smile crept up on her face. "Yes… Madam."

"The Young Lady made quite an exquisite breakfast, Madam." The maid commented, stirring the pot for Lanaya.

"It's not that extravagant. I'm just trying out a recipe my friend showed me." Lanaya said, giving a short answer to them. "A softer, soupy curry from his home town."

Lady Vyse closed her eyes as she imagined the curry. "Oh, that sounds delicious. Mordi, please set out the plates."

"Yes Madam." The maid said, going on to carry out her orders.

Meanwhile, with arms linked, Lady Vyse dragged Lanaya out of the kitchen through the halls of the mansion, guiding the college student to the dining hall that was way larger for the sparse inhabitants. The word excessive would not be inaccurate to describe such a room. On their way, the Lady of the mansion made small talk with the college student.

"Did Rubick leave already?" Lady Vyse inquired about her son, getting a nod from Lanaya.

"He was called in a few hours ago. He woke me up just to tell me that." The college student explained as they finally reached the room they were heading towards.

An open hall with a mere, circular dining table right at the center, its walls adorned with many paintings and portraits, most of them gifts for the family. Alongside the foot of said walls were cupboards and shelves that held many trinkets and knick-knacks. The majority of the looking less high class, as if not belonging with the rest. Fitting as they were none other than the personal collection of Lady Vyse herself. An aspect of her younger self that she brought along with her when she was pulled into the high standing society.

"Yes, always so busy. Taking after his father." The Lady commented upon the both of them reaching the dinner table. "Come, sit. Let us wait for the breakfast you so graciously prepared."

With but another silent nod, Lanaya sat herself right next to the elderly woman. While waiting, Lady Vyse began humming a tune from an age long before Lanaya's, the expression on her face showing a certain fondness and remembrance to it. There were many things Lanaya could guess as to what connotation this specific tune held for the Lady, but she held her tongue from speaking, electing to stay just as she was at that moment.

It didn't take long for the maid to show up, pushing a cart of the curry she had made. And, not to her surprise, right beside her was the other younger maid of the household. The two contrasted each other perfectly, if such a description could be used for them. The older maid, Mordiggian who is often affectionately called "Mordy", had maroon and red-violet highlights and accents on her uniform, amplified by her ruby colored eyes and caramel-blonde hair. The younger maid had a more hipper look, like one would expect of the teenagers of today. It was the obvious indication of her age, especially compared to Mordiggian. She had dark blue accents on her uniform with hazel colored eyes and green-dyed hair with blue highlights. Another difference between them was the way they did their hair. Mordiggian's hair was cut short, albeit slightly messy, while the younger maid had hers tied up in long twintails reaching to just above her rear.

"Good morning Madam! Young Lady!" the younger maid greeted cheerily, waving at Lady Vyse and Lanaya.

"Finished with your exams, Misty?" Lady Vyse asked.

"Yeah! It was hard, but I managed!"

"That's wonderful news." The Madam said as the maids laid out the pot of curry on the table, along with two sets of plates and spoons, one each for Lanaya and Lady Vyse. "Where are your plates?"

The younger maid blushed, turning to the older maid. "You already have a guest, Madam."

"Nonsense. Come, eat with us." Lady Vyse said, inviting them to the table.

The blue haired maid looked even more uncertain, shifting her glances between Lady Vyse, Lanaya, and the older maid frantically and unsurely. She didn't know how to appropriately respond. It took many, many months for her to be accustomed to just share a meal with the family of the mansion; she felt that it was still inappropriate for her to be on the same table as the Sir's lady guest. She turned to her senior, hoping that the red haired maid, as straight faced as she is, could answer in a way that would help her.

Mordiggian faced the Madam with the same flat expression, contrasting Lady Vyse's expecting smile. "Very well Madam." She answered, before turning to the younger maid. "Sit. I'll be back with our set."

Misty still had an uncomfortable look on her face. "Uh, but Mordy…"

"Misty." The older maid repeated, her voice carrying a bit more weight that shut the younger maid down. "I said sit."

"Yes Ma'am." Misty replied immediately, taking a seat to Lanaya's side.

Mordiggian, with a satisfied nod, took the two carts with her as she made her way back to the kitchen, leaving the green haired maid alone with Lanaya and Lady Vyse.

"How are your studies going, Misty?" Lady Vyse asked, genuinely intrigued.

Meekly, the young maid began to answer the question that was given to her. "I'm going great. Hopefully, I'll be able to get that scholarship for my high school education."

"That's wonderful!" Lady Vyse responded with glee, while Lanaya right beside her was in awe at the revelation at just how young this maid was. She glanced over to the Madam, the question clear in her eyes.

A question that was readable by Lady Vyse upon glancing her way. "I purchased her when I happened upon a slave market in Saraddel." She said with visible sadness. Misty's figure shrunk as the Madam began recounting their first meeting. "I couldn't stand what they had to go through in their lives. And I saw Misty, I felt like there was something more for her than just that. It took her a while to leave that slave mindset when we arrived back."

Lanaya's face contorted to a look of disgust. "I forgot slavery still exists in other parts of the world."

"Yes. Such a horrible truth too, for such a beautiful country." Lady Vyse added.

Lanaya turned her attention from the elderly woman to the young maid, who still looked somewhat ashamed of her past. "For how long have you been here anyway?"

"Since I was seven." Misty answered cautiously. _She's still just a kid._ Lanaya thought.

The college student's hand went for Misty's shoulder, comforting the young maid. Her attention meanwhile went back to Lady Vyse. "And how long has Mordy been here?"

"Oh, she's been here since my wedding." Lady Vyse replied, a quick smile returning to her face. "My own uncle sent her our way. She's never left since."

"She doesn't look that old." Lanaya replied instinctively, thinking on the huge age gap between the maids.

"I know, it's crazy! She never tells me how she stays the way she is. She's very stingy like that." Lady Vyse said, chuckling along her words.

It was during this conversation that the aforementioned maid returned to the dining hall with the two sets of both herself and the younger maid. She set the table for the two of them before sitting down right next to the Misty. Lady Vyse opened the meal with a short prayer before they all started on the curry Lanaya had delicately cooked. A nice reprieve in the morning for the whole lot of them.

"Are you going to leave again, Young Lady?" Misty asked curiously.

Lanaya chuckled at the question. "Of course. Us college students also have exams to prepare ourselves for. Besides, I'm sure my friends are worried that I didn't come back to the dorms again."

"But they probably would know by now, right?" the young maid asked again.

"Maybe." Lanaya answered with a shrug. "But exam times can keep people preoccupied."

"Haha. Yeah, that's true." Misty agreed.

"Maybe you can invite your friends here." Lady Vyse interjected, drawing in Lanaya's full undivided attention. "I'm sure they'll have a blast."

Lanaya chuckled awkwardly while Mordiggian shook her head at the Madam's idea. "I… uh, don't think they're the type of people to be in this type of place." She immediately remembered a certain blonde heiress. "Well, except one."

"I think it would be unwise for the Young Lady's friends to be guests here, Madam." Mordiggian added, enforcing Lanaya's point.

Lady Vyse sighed dejectedly, shaking her head. "Very well then. Invite that one friend of yours along the next time."

"Oh." Was Lanaya's only reply, realizing the predicament she not only put herself in, but the one she put Rylai in as well. She smiled and laughed awkwardly. "Okay, I'll bring her along."

She'll just have to hope the blonde snowflake was up to playing in the neighborhood. So with that thought in place, she put it aside and returned back to her breakfast, rejoining the others.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

again, another short one. took a bit too long to write, but i'm very happy with the way it turned out.

FUNFACT

so, aside from the late Aghanim, we now have Vyse, Armlet and Mystic Staff as part of the household! a quick glimpse to Rubick's life beyond Lanaya and Medicine.

hope you guys enjoyed! don't forget to review and criticize, and hope you come back again!


	94. Underworld Gathering

yo what's guys! no, i ain't dead! sorry for the impromptu hiatus. got really busy with real life stuff that i couldn't spare the time to write. so no, this story is not dead, and i'm still writing it. don't know when i'll have more free time, but hopefully it won't be as long as before.

* * *

**Underworld Gathering**

Lanaya was staring out the window of a red sports car as it sped through the streets of Elze, Slithice and Sylla sitting at the back seat with their gaze intently watching the red clad, hooded driver, who was grinning with his sharp canine flashed. Sylle, being larger than any of the other three in the car, took up most of the space, having to keep his head lowered. Slithice looked even smaller than usual thanks to this as she scrutinized the driver with suspicion.

"I wasn't expecting an ex-_policía_ to come along." The driver said, chuckling as he referred to Slithice's obvious staring.

"We'e here just ta make sure Lanaya is safe." Sylla answered before Slithice could.

"_Comprensible_. The gathering isn't really a place for anyone to go." The hooded man said as he turned on the side of the road.

"Does Nyx always hold these types of gatherings?" Slithice asked, to both the driver and Sylla. Her voice low and steady.

"Only once every few years." The driver replied. "The Flayed Twins likes to keep a favorable relationship with Lady Nyx, so that's why the Bloodseekers are around as well."

"Will Angelo's men be 'ere as well?" Sylla asked. Slithice flinched at the mention of the name beside him.

"No, only a few people repping the Doombringers." The car stopped before a red light. The Bloodseeker glanced to the back seat. "Between you and me, I heard Angelo's got his hands busy with something."

Sylla nodded while Slithice's eyes perked up slightly at the mention. The driver turned his attention back to the front, in time for the traffic light to turn back to green. The red sports car blasted through the streets in that very instant.

"How's my mother?" this time the college student spoke up after spending most of the drive in quiet solitude.

The driver chuckled, mostly to himself. "Don't worry, _chica_. We Bloodseekers have been keeping a good eye on your _mamá_. It's a simple favor for Lady Nyx."

"You Bloodseekers seem to do a lot for Nyx." Slithice said, then waited as if gauging for whatever response that would come.

"Jus' like I told'ya." The custodian added, chuckling himself.

"Lady Nyx is simply the one who set up an organized system for our world." He said with a smile.

"And I take it the Bloodseekers benefitted?" the entertainer responded.

"Greatly." The driver chuckled loudly. "The Flayed Twins consider her a _santo_ because."

"What did she actually do, what system is this supposed to be?" Slithice continued.

"Oh, I think it's better if you ask Lady Nyx yourself that." His chuckles bellowed on with girth. "_Dios_, isn't the owner of the coffee shop a great friend of hers?"

The custodian gave Slithice a look that conveyed that he was enjoying the exchange she was having with the Bloodseeker. She replied with her own look of annoyance. The both of them had looks of bewilderment replace their current expressions when the car was bathed in sudden darkness. They both looked out the windows to see that they had entered a large tunnel that was situated at the outskirts of the city. Various people with varying activities were littered on the sides, situating themselves as comfortably as they could. They gave the car a wide berth as it sped through inside, its lights almost blinding those deeper in.

"I've been in this tunnel system once." Slithice commented, her eyes scrutinizing the dimly lit tunnel.

"What were you doing?" Lanaya spoke up, curious as ever.

"I'm not at liberty to say that unfortunately." She sighed right after.

"Special _policía_ business huh? Yeah I get it." The driver said, joining in on the conversation.

"Ya very talkative, Strigoir." The custodian himself commented.

The driver chuckled in an amused fashion. "It's Strygwyr, ya old _oso_."

Sylla waved him off, chuckling himself. "Ah, ya'll th' same." The both of them shared a quiet laugh with each other.

They maneuvered deeper into the maze that is the tunnel system. At first, they were all alone. But after a while, the tunnel system got rowdier, as more people started becoming visible. Then it wasn't just people, but also other vehicles, groups of them parked alongside colors of the same shade. Unsurprisingly, the Bloodseeker drove up to where other red sports cars were, separated from rest as if they were a different league from the other groups.

When they reached to a stop as they parked the car, Strygwyr glanced to his passengers. "And here we are, ladies and gent."

The doors were opened by people that waited outside, all dressed in the same blood red color. All of them Bloodseekers. They all gave Lanaya and Sylla a neutral look, while they eyed Slithice with understandable suspicion. Strygwyr followed them behind, being the last to exit his own car. His fellow Bloodseekers gave him more room, his seniority acknowledged by them all.

"Come, the Flayed Twins are waiting." He said to Lanaya with a grin, moving forward ahead. Lanaya followed suit right behind him, with both of her older coworkers trailing behind her. The rest of the Bloodseekers walked around them as they too converged to where the rest of their kind was.

They carried on deeper into the tunnel system until they found themselves in a large clearing, filled with the many gangs of the seedy underbelly of Elze. And at the very center there stood a single woman. Tall and lanky, yet dressed in a very ornate looking set of body armor. Her very demeanor conveyed just how high she stood above everyone there. Her every word is there very command. Order exists in a world where chaos once reigned supreme.

"Dan' bother tryin' ta listen in, Slithice." The custodian commented, noticing her glancing at the lone woman in the middle.

"I wasn't trying, Sylla." She replied, moving slightly faster to catch up with Lanaya.

"Ya can ask Nyx'f ya want'a." he told her.

"Don't you and 'Mene have those meetings once every few months?" Lanaya asked from the front. It didn't take much to listen in on the conversation the two were having. The chuckling Bloodseeker indicated that he too was listening.

"Aye, that we do." Reaching up to the college student, he planted his hand on her shoulder. "Ya' know Oi suggested to 'Mene 'bout 'nviting Rubick."

"Not anytime soon, I hope." Lanaya replied with concern. "I don't like the idea of him being involved with whatever it is you guys do."

"Ya think we should invite Slithice?" he asked her, earning a raised eyebrow from the former Guard Captain.

"I don't see why not?" the college student responded confusedly.

Before they could continue their conversation, the Bloodseeker that was leading them dropped down to a kneeling position, head faced down in almost reverence. The group halted their steps, taking a good look at the area they had stopped. A well kept room unlike the rest of the facility, surrounded by other Bloodseeker, but one stood out.

She sat at the side of a sofa, dressed in an immaculate red gown. Hair as black as the midnight sky, tipped with blood red streaks. Arms strewn with scars all over. And an unsettling expression on her face, a smile wide wider than a harlequin's mask and a gaze that can stare straight into one's soul. A juxtaposition to great effect, seeing the contrasting effect of a woman who was dressed so elegantly yet presumably had one of the most unstable minds. Her head jerked to a tilt suddenly, as she waved her bare foot before the Bloodseeker.

"The **Chosen** one has _returned_. How _lovely~_." she chuckled, her throaty voice lending more towards her insanity than her elegance.

"This One has fulfilled Lady Nyx's request." Strygwyr reported.

"So you **have.**" the woman got herself off the arm of the sofa and proceeded to make her way towards Lanaya, who was looking around uncomfortably. Her hand shot out to cup Lanaya's face, squishing her cheeks together. Sylla held his hand up before Slithice, before the former Guard Captain could do anything she would regret.

"Take _her_ to her **mother.**" she ordered.

"Yes, Flayed One." Strygwyr stood back up and approached the college student, holding his hand out for her. When Lanaya gave him her hand, he led her away deeper into the alcove. This left Sylla and Slithice alone with the rest of the Bloodseekers, along with half of the Flayed Twins.

The woman jerked her gaze towards the two, though focusing more on Sylla. "The Big, **bad**, _**Bear**_." she fake shivered in fear before him, as she made her way closer.

"Ya ain't fairing well up there ain't ya?" he said, raising a brow at her approaching form.

She responded by laughing maniacally before them, without a care in the world. "I **can** still feel your condescending attitude from a _mile away_. The _**Bear**_ never **changes**."

The older man smirked, silently challenging the deranged mob leader. "_Aye_."

"I hope you're causing too much trouble for our guests, sister." A calmer voice resounded in the room, alerting them of his presence.

Slithice eyed the newcomer with trepidation, comparing him to the maniacal woman from before. He too wore an outfit that was more at place in a formal gathering than. The clear difference between them, however, was that he wore it with more form, and a much more stable state of mind. Hair slicked to the back, the gaze of his eyes as sharp as a predator. It wasn't long till the other half of the Flayed Twins connected his gaze with the former Guard Captain.

"Surprised to see you here, Slithice." He said, engaging first. "Though maybe I shouldn't, knowing you've been working at the Dark Moon for quite a while."

She squinted her scrutinizing gaze at the male half's words, not liking what the resources of someone of their caliber could accomplish. "Uncomfortable with a former Guard Captain in your gatherings?" she responded.

"If it's you, we're perfectly fine. The new Guard Captain, however, is a thorn on our sides." He replied. The female half growled menacingly.

"Slardar has always been like that." She replied, earning a nod from the man.

"His tenacity is admirable, that I can agree." He flexed his shoulders and then motioned for the two of them to follow him inside.

They didn't go that far, only slightly deeper into the Bloodseeker's personal alcove in the large underground compound where the entire scene before them laid perfectly inline for them to see. Various gangs, mobs and syndicates, circled around the single, armored woman who stood tall, projecting an intimidating aura for even the most hardened of criminals.

Slithice leaned closer to Sylla, and whispered "What are we waiting for?"

"Fer Lanaya 'f course." The custodian replied. "'Vrything else is none of our business. Ya have ta 'member that."

"Can't shake your roots?" the male half of the Flayed Twins commented. "Worry not, this shan't be long."

Reminded of the matter at hand, Slithice turned to him. "Have there been any attacks at all towards Lanaya's mother?"

"Surprisingly, yes." He answered with a heavy sigh. "Fanatical zealots have always been trouble. And they still have not relented. We had to constantly keep her on the move."

"I'm surprised the Bloodseekers have the resources to spare." She said, mostly to herself.

"Thank the Doombringers for taking the spotlight. We are fine taking the back seat when it comes to public attention." He told her.

"Have the attacks lessened, in any sort of way?"

"Only ever so marginally." He shook his head. "If this weren't a request from Nyx, we would not be doing this."

"Noble sacrifice." Sylla said, chuckling to himself.

"Noble indeed, but we are not noble people." He replied seriously.

Slithice was about to respond to that sentiment, but she stayed her tongue, electing to remain silent. Instead, she waited there, along with Sylla and the saner half of the Bloodseekers. She kept her eyes at the center, but soon it all became white noise to her. Almost impossible for her to keep her attention. Fortunately, the wait wasn't long, as Lanaya soon reappeared with the Bloodseeker that escorted her. Light tears were at the edge of her eyes, threatening to spill.

The elder man chuckled. "Finished so fast?"

The college student wiped her eyes before meeting Sylla's gaze. "Yeah, we're done."

"_Excellent._" the female Flayed One said, after being silent for quite a while. She looked towards Strygwyr with a commanding gaze. "Get **them** _out_."

"Enjoy the ride." Her twin said.

Slithice let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. Althought at first she was curious as to what this gathering would be, the sheer magnitude of the reality, and the lack of authority she used to wield, led her to being quite eager to be done with the place.

They all went back to the Bloodseeker's car in silence.

Without any further trouble, the all got in and was once again escorted out. A quiet ride out of the tunnel system.

"Are you alright, Lanaya?" Slithice asked when the blue sky bathed them again.

"I'll be fine." Came the terse response.

"'Mene won't mind ya takin' break." Sylla chimed in.

The college student sighed. "Yeah, I'll take that."

"Do I need to drop you somewhere else?" Strygwyr asked, keeping an ear on the conversation.

Lanaya shook her head for the Bloodseeker. "No. The coffee shop's just fine."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

sorry for the lack of quality on this one guys. this chapter was written on and off in the past few months during every free time i got. hopefully it turned out alright.

also, felt like it was a good time to finally get it out too, with TI6 finished and all.

oh, of course. we can't forget the two crucial things thanks to TI6, guys.

**UNDERLORD AND MONKEY KING HYPE!**

man, and i don't even have Viper yet in the story, and we're gonna get Underlord on the 23rd, and Monkey King sometime in Fall, whenever that is for you temperate regioners.

can't wait for them. both to play 'em, and to write 'em.

once again, as always, thanks for reading and hope you had a blast!


	95. The Commander's Trauma

**The Commander's Trauma**

_Screeching missiles._

_Raining debris._

_Blistering shrapnel._

_Shattering bullets._

_Green acid._

_Blue explosions._

_Pained screams._

_Crumbling structures._

_Bursting limbs._

_Pain._

_Agony._

_Stress._

_Torture._

_Hell._

_Hell._

_**Hell**._

A sudden gasp filled the darkened room, merely illuminated by the small desk lamp on the table. Her head thumping harder than ever, as memories of recent happenings resurfaced. Too soon for her to even want to remember. She tried shaking them off, but all that did was agitate it further, almost mind numbingly so. She slowly raised her head as thanks to the nightmare that had awoken her, hands covering her face.

"I was about to wake you up, Commander."

Tresdin didn't flinch. The presence of the older soldier had always been welcomed by her and anyone in the military. One hand, her left, fell off her face and landed back on the table she was resting on. "Sorry Marcus. Fell asleep."

Her left hand began fumbling around the table, looking for the tablets she always had close by. Scrambling around, shuffling through the papers strewn about her table. The man named Marcus placed the tiny bottle the Commander was looking for just at the edge of her reach. She casually grasped it, and without hesitation she took out two pills and instantly ingested it. A pained look was visible on her face, from how dry her throat was.

"Someone dropped by earlier, Commander. She brought this for you." The older man said, placing a red and yellow tumbler before her. Tresdin gazed at the peculiar cup, scrutinizing it with her blue eyes.

"Was she tall and dressed in purple?" Tresdin asked, hazarding a guess.

The older man nodded before her, earning a groan from the Commander. "Is she, perchance, also a friend of the Queen, Commander?" he asked her.

"Unfortunately." Tresdin replied, reaching out to grab the tumbler. Opening the lid, she could smell the sweet aroma that reminded her of the coffee shop a certain someone worked at. She took a sip from it, appreciating the flavor as it cleared her throat. "She just dropped this off? No words or messages?"

"She said she doesn't like the place." He told her, chuckling all the while.

"Sounds just like her." She capped the tumbler back before reverting to a silent state.

"More dreams?" he asked, concerned.

"Yeah." Her right hand began clutching the side of her head, before she tried in vain to shake it off. "How do you handle it, Marcus?"

The older man chuckled again, taking a seat in one of the available chairs in the room. "I don't really handle it so much, just more so that I'm used to it."

"That doesn't sound healthy."

"You're damn right it's not." The both of them shared a low chuckle.

Silence slowly encroached the room again as Tresdin began drinking the beverage that was brought to her by a certain barista. The older man was content sitting where he was, simply waiting for her. The Commander gradually relaxed as the drink helped ease her tension.

"You go to, these, gatherings for veterans, right?" Tresdin asked.

"You want to come along? There's room?" the older man offered.

Tresdin let out a throaty low chuckle. "Maybe, but not now." She shook her head again, harder. "I still have a lot of work to do."

The older man stared at the Commander, seeing her begin to shift her messy table, clearing it up. He cleared his throat. "How frequent are the dreams? They are of Stonehall, correct?"

"Not really frequent, to be honest. But when they come, they come in full force." She answered. "I never expected a PMC to be that well equipped."

"With all due respect Commander, I don't think it's a run of the mill operation a PMC would conduct." He said to her.

"I understand that. And now, they're occupying the city." She shook her head in disappointment. "A whole city full of insane soldiers. The man who leads them even calls himself a lord."

"Like a bunch of terrorists."

"As if we didn't have those kinds of problems already." She planted her hand on her forehead, uneager to go on with the stress she was experiencing. But she knew she had to. "I hope to God his army isn't somehow involved with those cultists."

"Our resources are stretched quite thin. My only suggestion is to hire the services of a third party group, like the Pantheon." The elderly man said.

"I already inquired about such services, and they themselves have said that they have people dealing with the cultists at the moment. They were willing to provide us with relevant information regarding their findings."

"Ah, that is good to hear."

"Is there any news of the eastern front?" she asked further. "If at all possible, I'd rather we not be at war with an army led by General Ishkafel."

"King Ostarion's men have been too quiet regarding the situation. I fear the his Majesty is slightly too trigger happy at the moment."

"That old fart's going to be the downfall of our people." She said annoyedly.

"Do be careful, Commander. Bad mouthing the King is quite the offense." Marcus advised. Tresdin merely rolled her eyes.

"A simple favor for our ever so _gracious_ Queen should keep him off my back." She said, laughing at her own comment. The elderly man chuckled along with her.

When their laughter died down, the elderly man stood up and made his way towards the door. "I'll be taking my leave for the day, Commander."

"Aye, Marcus." She responded. "Take care."

With the nod, he left the room, leaving her in the office. She sighed deeply, before going back to her mountain of work that she had fallen asleep on. With all of that before her, she can push back the horrid memories of a recent time she had experienced. Surviving the incident with a trauma that slowly fueled her for calculated retaliation for when the time comes for her. And everything else that happened.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

another chapter, albeit a short one here! featuring our particular commander, along with a more concrete in name cameo of a certain Underlord.

Monkey King's coming in Fall, whenever that is for you temperate guys.

still haven't done Viper yet.

hope you guys enjoyed it and had a good time!


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